WALES

Cardiff Airport

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government on plans for the future of Cardiff airport; and if she will make a statement.

Cheryl Gillan: Cardiff airport has the potential to play an important part in improving the business environment in Wales and contributing to the Welsh and UK economy. I recently met with Cardiff airport to discuss their future plans.
	I have had discussions with the First Minister who has now established a task force to look at the future of the airport and the Welsh Government Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science has indicated that she wants to see Cardiff airport at the heart of the Aerospace Enterprise Zone around St Athan.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband: Kent

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent progress has been made on the delivery of superfast broadband to north Kent.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has approved all local broadband plans covering the south-east of England, including the plan covering north Kent. The Broadband Delivery Framework has been signed by BT and Fujitsu and local projects teams are working with BDUK to prepare for procurement.
	North Kent has been allocated £9.87 million for the delivery of superfast broadband.
	The first projects to use the framework have commenced their procurements and Kent will be amongst the next group of projects to commence procurement in September.

Mobile Technology

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to finance the installation costs for filters to allow reception of digital terrestrial television following the adoption of 4G mobile technology in (a) households with amplifiers fitted and (b) multiple dwelling units;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost of installing filters to allow reception of digital terrestrial television (DTT) following the adoption of 4G mobile technology in (a) all DTT households, (b) DTT households with amplifiers fitted and (b) multiple dwelling units;
	(3)  if he will make it his policy to finance the cost of filters where necessary for second television sets to continue to receive digital terrestrial television following the adoption of 4G mobile technology.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 5 July 2012
	As set out in the Government's announcement of 21 February, every home that needs one will be provided with a filter free of charge.
	Owners of properties with communal distribution systems will be provided with the filter appropriate to such equipment, free of charge. Ofcom estimates that approximately 20,000 multi-dwelling buildings could be affected. Ofcom estimates that the typical cost for fitting a filter for a communal aerial installation would be around £220, although it could be significantly lower, and that there are an average of 16 dwellings served by each system. For multi-dwelling units similar to a single household property the costs would be similar to those for single occupancy buildings. It is normally the responsibility of each landlord to maintain any TV signal distribution system in the property, and this should extend to the fitting of any filter that is required. In general, we are not proposing to fund the fitting of filters in these cases.
	The one in four homes with residents deemed to be “vulnerable”—that is, who meet the eligibility criteria that have been used for the Switchover Help Scheme—will be entitled to installation of the filter, if needed, free of charge. The cost of fitting these filters should be much less than for an antenna installation. Charges may vary from installer to installer but typically could be as low as £50 + VAT. All these costs will be met from the £180 million funding to be provided by the mobile network operators.
	Support specifically for second and subsequent sets will not be provided. This is consistent with the approach we took in TV switchover where help was provided (to those eligible) for one set only. All homes living in the geographical area where they are predicted to experience interference to TV reception will be sent one filter with clear instructions for installation. This includes the 60% of homes whose primary viewing is on satellite or cable platforms who will be able to use the filter on a secondary set connected to an aerial.
	The funding provision of £180 million is based on Ofcom estimates of the size of the expected problem and includes a significant margin. A breakdown of how Ofcom arrived at this figure is contained within its recent consultation on coexistence between new services in the 800 MHz band and digital terrestrial television.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget that can be re-prioritised; what steps he has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of his Department's resource budget he has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation;
	(3)  when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

John Penrose: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans, as set out in the Government's framework for strengthening and improving spending control
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	As is normal for Government spending, the details of any contingency plans will only be published if it is decided to put them into practice, at which stage they will be announced in Parliament by the Chancellor or other Ministers in the usual way.

UK Fashion and Textile Association

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he last met representatives of the UK Fashion and Textile Association.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not met the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT). However, the Secretary of State, alongside the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, chairs the Creative Industries Council whose members include the British Fashion Council (BFC), and a member of the UKFT.
	The Government are keen to support the fashion industry and encourage initiatives, such as NewGen, which helps to promote the younger generation of designers coming out of the colleges. The BFC's Value of Fashion report highlights the significant contribution the fashion industry makes to the UK economy and confirms British fashion's status as one of our most important creative industries. The Department looks forward to continuing to work with UKFT, the BFC and others to further support this valuable industry.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which parts of the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier project have yet to be fully costed.

Peter Luff: The final target cost for the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers that was developed in 2010 was based on STOVL-configured ships, and encompassed all known elements of the programme at that time, although following the 10 May 2012 decision to end Carrier Variant conversion investigations and revert to a STOVL-based carrier programme, we are now formally re-baselining the programme.

Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answers of 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 877W and 2 July 2012, on Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme, what (a) letters, (b) e-mails and (c) other correspondence the Minister of State for the Armed Forces has had with Col (Rtd) Terry Scriven on the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme; and if he will place copies of any such correspondence in the Library.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 5 July 2012
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 471W.
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) holds no records of any letters, e-mails or other correspondence that MOD Ministers have had with Col (Rtd) Terry Scriven on the subject of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme.

Public Expenditure

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what adjustments were made by the Treasury to (a) his Department's financial envelope and (b) the allocation to major budget headings in his Department's budget as a result of the three-month study into planning round 11.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 5 July 2012
	The three-month exercise made no changes to the Ministry of Defence's Budget as set out in the 2010 spending review.
	However, the Treasury did agree that, for planning purposes, the MOD could assume a 1% above real terms annual increase in spending on equipment and equipment support for the period from 2015 to 2020.
	This assumption was reflected in the allocation of funds to major budget headings during the annual budget setting process, the outcome of which I announced on 14 May 2012.

Submarines

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has sought a commercial partner to advise on the submarine enterprise performance programme.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is not seeking a commercial partner to advise on the submarine enterprise performance programme (SEPP). The MOD is, however, seeking a commercial partner to augment the current resources in programme and project support functions within the submarine operating centre in the Defence Equipment and Support organisation. This is to improve skills and processes, to reduce overall risk to the submarine programme and to gain better value for money.
	The enabling arrangement will be available for use by programmes within the submarine operating centre; this may include the SEPP, should the need arise in the future.

Trident

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) direct and (b) indirect civilian jobs in (i) Scotland and (ii) the rest of the UK rely upon the Trident programme.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 26 June 2012
	It is not Government policy to compile statistics related to defence spend on equipment or employment in UK regions.
	However, I am able to provide a broad indication of the extent of employment throughout the UK which is reliant on the Trident programme by outlining the key locations concerned.
	I can confirm that some 6,300 defence jobs are based at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. This base comprises the naval base at Faslane and the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) at Coulport. The naval base is home to a range of Royal Navy ships and submarines including the Vanguard class submarines which carry the UK's strategic nuclear deterrent. RNAD Coulport is responsible for the storage, processing, maintenance and issue of the Trident weapon system. As well as a high proportion of Ministry of Defence civilian and Royal Navy personnel, the jobs at the naval base include contractors from Babcock, Lockheed Martin UK and Rolls-Royce.
	Also in Scotland, the work undertaken by Rolls-Royce in respect of nuclear reactors at the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment, Dounreay, also supports the Trident programme and other nuclear-powered submarines.
	For the rest of the UK, four key suppliers directly support the delivery of the Trident programme. The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) managed and operated by AWE Management Limited is based in Aldermaston and Burghfield; BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness; Babcock at Devonport; and Rolls-Royce at Raynesway, Derby.
	The ability of these key areas, both in Scotland and the rest of the UK, to deliver their programmes depends heavily on an extensive network of sub-contractors who are working indirectly in support of the Trident programme.

TREASURY

Business: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on mandatory greenhouse gas reporting for companies.

David Gauke: Treasury Ministers, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), regularly meet with Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, covering a range of topics.

Child Care Tax Credit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the average family claim for child care tax credits was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many child care places are financed by child care tax credits;

Liam Byrne: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely total spend on child care tax credits in each year up to 2015.

David Gauke: The most recent information on the average help with child care costs for tax credit recipients is available in Table 4.4 of the HMRC snapshot publication ‘Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics April 2012':
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	At the beginning of April 2012, the average amount received for child care by families benefiting from the child care element was £58.25 per week.
	The total number of child care places financed by the child care element of working tax credit is not available. However, Table 4.4 of ‘Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics April 2012' reports the total number of families benefiting from the child care element. As of the beginning of April 2012, 454,900 families were benefiting from the child care element.
	Table 1, as follows, shows forecast spend on the child care element of tax credits in each financial year for the rest of this Parliament.
	
		
			 Table 1: Forecasted child care expenditure 
			  £ million 
			 2012-13 1,490 
			 2013-14 1,560 
			 2014-15 1,650

Finance Act 2008

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue (a) is due and (b) has been collected under the provisions of section 58 of the Finance Act 2008.

David Gauke: UK residents are taxable on their worldwide income wherever it arises—including situations where it arises by way of foreign partnerships. Section 58 of Finance Act 2008 was enacted to help put that beyond doubt. As section 58 retrospectively clarified existing legislation, its introduction had no affect on any taxpayers' tax position.

Gift Aid

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps the Government is taking to make it easier for small charities to collect gift aid from text donations;
	(2)  what steps the Government is taking to ensure that the collection of gift aid on charitable donations made (a) as text donations via mobile telephones and (b) using other new technologies is easier.

David Gauke: The Government is keen to make Gift Aid as easy and as accessible as possible to donors and charities. Gift Aid is already available on text donations and on other forms of digital giving such as via ATMs, subject to the right infrastructure being in place.
	HM Revenue and Customs has been discussing with charity representatives how the sector might set up a Gift Aid database for participating donors and charities to use to streamline the making of a Gift Aid declaration to each charity they support.

Gift Aid

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to help small charities to quickly and easily claim gift aid which they are due other than through the provisions contained in the Small Charitable Donations Bill.

David Gauke: The Government is keen to make it as easy as possible for all charities to claim Gift Aid.
	In 2011 HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) introduced a new Gift Aid repayment claim form which is completed on a computer and contains a number of automated checks, to help prevent common errors that delay repayments. That has led to HMRC processing over 95% of Gift Aid claims within 15 working days, an improvement of nearly 10% over the last year.
	The new form was the first step to introducing a new online system in 2013 that will enable charities to claim Gift Aid repayments online. The online system will enable HMRC to make repayments more quickly and efficiently.
	HM Revenue and Customs has also been discussing with charity representatives how the sector might set up a Gift Aid database for participating donors and charities to use, to eliminate the need for donors to make a Gift Aid declaration to each charity they support.

Income Tax

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the income tax payments have changed for someone earning £26,000 from 2010-11 to 2012-13; and how much income tax someone earning £26,000 a year will pay in 2012-13 and 2013-14 compared to 2009-10.

David Gauke: Income tax due for an individual earning £26,000 for tax year 2009-10 to 2013-14 is shown in the following table. The table assumes that the individual is aged under 65 or born after 5 April 1948 for 2013-14, has no other income assessable for tax and that, other than the personal allowance, no other allowances, deductions or reliefs are due.
	
		
			  Total income tax (£) 
			 2009-10 3,905 
			 2010-11 3,905 
			 2011-12 3,705 
			 2012-13 3,579 
			 2013-14 3,359

LIBOR

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the British Bankers Association's review of LIBOR was discussed by his Department's officials at their meeting of 5 March 2012;
	(2)  who attended the meeting where Treasury officials discussed LIBOR on 5 March 2012.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of authorities as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

National Infrastructure Plan

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  in which financial years he plans that support from UK pension funds will be allocated to the National Infrastructure Plan;
	(2)  what the value is of the support committed to the National Infrastructure Plan from UK pension funds;
	(3)  what progress he has made in securing pension funds’ agreement to finance the Government's National Infrastructure Plan.

Danny Alexander: The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) are currently in the process of raising development and investment capital, with the aim of launching a pension investment platform in early 2013 to invest in UK infrastructure projects.
	NAPF and the PPF have publicly stated that they expect the platform initially to raise £2 billion of pension fund investment to deploy in appropriate UK infrastructure.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on which occasions his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf since May 2010.

David Gauke: The parliamentary private secretary of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has not travelled overseas with him or on his behalf since May 2010.

Social Impact Bonds

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to have discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the possibility of public funding of social impact bonds.

Danny Alexander: £5 million has been set aside for a new social impact bond to help London's persistent rough sleepers off the streets and into secure homes. This was announced on 7 March and approved by HM Treasury and the Department for Communities and Local Government prior to this announcement.

Tax Avoidance

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was raised for the public purse by all measures taken to reduce tax avoidance measures from May 2010 to June 2012.

David Gauke: Anti-avoidance measures announced by the Government in its 2010, 2011 and 2012 Budgets were forecast to yield over £6 billion.
	In addition to raising funds for the public purse many anti-avoidance measures serve to protect revenue by blocking or deterring avoidance which would otherwise reduce payments into the public purse.

Taxation

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amendments HM Revenue and Customs have made of the level of (a) tax avoidance, (b) tax evasion and (c) uncollected tax liabilities in each of the last 10 years.

David Gauke: The breakdown of the tax gap by behaviour has not been produced for the last 10 years.
	The most recent estimate of the net tax gap is published in Measuring Tax Gaps 2011:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2011.pdf
	This estimated that the net tax lost by all taxpayers across all taxes in 2009-10 due to (a) avoidance was around £5 billion, (b) evasion was around £4 billion, and (c) non-payment was £4 billion.

Taxation: Multinational Companies

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether proposed changes to controlled foreign companies rules in the Finance Bill will mean developing countries may lose more revenue to tax havens;
	(2)  what steps his Department intends to take in response to recommendations of the IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank that an impact assessment be carried out on how developing countries will be affected by the Controlled Foreign Companies rules in the Finance Bill.

David Gauke: The Government have not undertaken an assessment of the effect on developing countries of the proposed changes to the CFC rules as these rules are designed to protect the UK Exchequer by preventing artificial diversion of UK profits.
	The IMF, OECD, UN and World Bank have not specifically recommended an impact assessment of the changes to the CFC rules. Such an assessment would need to focus primarily on the nature of tax regimes in developing countries and the interactions of multinational companies with those tax systems, making it an assessment not of our tax rules, but of the tax rules of those other countries. The Government do not think that such an assessment would be feasible.
	The strengthening of tax administration in developing countries is a key issue in tax and development and the Government are committed to supporting developing countries access sustainable sources of revenue.

Taxation: Olympic Games 2012

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 72W, on taxation: Olympic games 2012, if he will give details of the certain tax arrangements that the International Olympic Committee required for all bids for the 2012 games; whether the UK bid went beyond the certain tax arrangements required; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: holding answer 5 July 2012
	The intention of the bidding conditions set out by the International Olympic Committee is that taxation should not be a consideration in any bid to host an Olympic and Paralympic games. The UK has not gone beyond the commitments required to meet these conditions.

Welfare Tax Credits

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) two, (b) three, (c) four, (d) five and (e) six year olds are members of families in receipt of tax credits.

David Gauke: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			 Estimated number of children in families in receipt of tax credits, as of 1 April 2012 
			 Age Number (Thousand) 
			 Two years old 546.4 
			 Three years old 541.7 
			 Four years old 536.8 
			 Five years old 516.8 
			 Six years old 504.8

PRIME MINISTER

Russia

Chris Bryant: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Justice of 11 June 2012, Official Report, columns 360-1W, on Russia, (1) whether he authorised the travel of the hon. Member for Wyre and Preston North to Russia; and on what date any such authorisation was given;
	(2)  what was exceptional about the hon. Member for Wyre and Preston North's visit to Russia that merited taxpayer funding;
	(3)  what the cost of the hon. Member for Wyre and Preston North's visit to Russia was;
	(4)  whether he has authorised any other parliamentary private secretaries to travel overseas on an official visit since May 2010.

David Cameron: The hon. Member for Wyre and Preston North (Mr Wallace) paid his own travel expenses. This case and any others are authorised in line with paragraph 3.11 of the Ministerial Code.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he has taken with regard to the Crown Prosecution Service report on the review of human trafficking legislation.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is not reviewing the law on human trafficking. However, the CPS has contributed to the Government's report on the review of human trafficking legislation which was published on 22 June 2012. This review of legislation was a commitment set out in the Government's Human Trafficking Strategy published in July 2011. The report on the review of human trafficking legislation is now available on the Home Office website.
	The review identified three areas where legislation in England and Wales could be strengthened and new legislation is already being introduced in two of these areas. To comply with the EU Directive on Trafficking in Human Beings, amendments to current human trafficking offences are included in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. The third area identified relates to the unduly lenient sentence mechanism. Steps are being taken to ensure that in all human trafficking offences the Law Officers can consider referring the case for an increase in sentence where it appears that the sentence was unduly lenient.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Attorney-General what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) the Law Officers Departments and (b) each agency of the Law Officers Departments in each of the last three years.

Edward Garnier: The information requested is contained in the following table:
	
		
			 Working days lost 
			 Department April 2009-March 2010 April 2010-March 2011 April 2011-March 2012 
			 CPS 9.0 8.9 8.5 
			 AGO (1)7.8 2.7 3.1 
			 HMCPSI (1)7.8 14.7 4.7 
			 TSol 6.6 5.8 6.6 
			 SFO 9.7 11.2 8.7 
			 (1) Prior to 1 April 2010 TSol calculated sickness absence as a combined figure for the combination of TSol, AGO and HMCPSI—this reflected the requirements of the annual accounts at that time (the AGO/HMCPSI combined figure for 2009-10 is an estimate and has been calculated from this data).

Offences Against Children

Paul Goggins: To ask the Attorney-General how many cases involving the alleged sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16 have been dismissed by the Crown courts in England as a result of no evidence being offered in each year since 1990.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of cases involving alleged sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16, which were dismissed by the Crown courts in England as a result of no evidence being offered. Such data could not be obtained locally or nationally without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Police: Surveillance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Attorney-General what recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the number of cases where there may have been a miscarriage of justice due to the involvement of undercover police officers; what estimate he has made of the number of such cases; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Garnier: The Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), and I have regular discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions on a wide range of criminal matters, including cases where there may have been a miscarriage of justice due to the involvement of undercover police officers. Details regarding the Drax case were announced in a press release on Tuesday, 3 July 2012, which can be found at:
	http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_releases/dpp_invites_ defence_ to_appeal_convictions_of_drax_power_station_protestors/

Prosecutions: Northamptonshire

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Attorney-General how many successful prosecutions have been secured by the Crown Prosecution Service in Northamptonshire in each of the last three years; and what proportion such successful prosecutions represent of the total prosecutions started in each such year.

Edward Garnier: The information regarding successful prosecutions brought by the Crown Prosecution Service in Northamptonshire is as follows:
	
		
			 Northamptonshire—Prosecutions 2009-12 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 8,895 86.9 8.847 85.6 7,281 85.3 
			 Unsuccessful 1,345 13.1 1,486 14.4 1,255 14.7 
			 Total 10,240  10,333  8,536  
		
	
	
		
			 England and Wales—Prosecutions 2009-12 
			  2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Convictions 846,221 86.1 820,597 85.7 769,252 86.0 
			 Unsuccessful 136,511 13.9 137,284 14.3 125,539 14.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Total 982,732  957,881  894,791

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Belarus

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Belarussian authorities on the arrest of journalist Andrzey Poczobut.

David Lidington: The arrest of Andrzey Poczobut for alleged “libel against the president” is yet another example of the crackdown on the independent media in Belarus. The Government has made no direct representations to the Belarusian authorities about his arrest, but officials will do so at the next opportunity. The EU raised his case in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Permanent Council on 5 July.
	The UK continues to maintain the pressure on Belarus to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners. We strongly supported the 5 July resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, which established a Special Rapporteur on Belarus. The Rapporteur will be a valuable source of independent reporting on events in the country, and will help keep the spotlight on the situation there.

Colombia

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Colombian Government threats that have been made against the life of Carlos Lozano from Colombians for Peace.

Jeremy Browne: Any threat against Dr Lozano’s life is unacceptable. Our embassy in Bogota met with Dr Lozano recently, and continues to monitor his case closely. During Dr Lozano’s recent trip to the UK, he met with senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials to discuss the situation in Colombia. The Colombian Government has assured us that providing protection for human rights defenders is an absolute priority for them. Officials at our embassy in Bogota will raise the case of Dr Lozano with the Colombian Government.
	The British Government continues to raise the protection of human rights defenders regularly with the Colombian Government. I discussed human rights with President Santos, Foreign Minister Holguín and Vice President Garzón during my visit to Colombia in March 2012.

Egypt

Heather Wheeler: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the Sinai Peninsula.

Alistair Burt: The British Government remains concerned about the security situation in the Sinai and we regularly raise this with the Egyptian authorities. Due to a significant increase in criminal activity in the north Sinai area, Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice currently advises against all but essential travel to Sinai north of the Suez-Taba road.

Egypt

Heather Wheeler: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of arms smuggling in the Sinai Peninsula.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of reports of arms smuggling in and through the Sinai Peninsula and are monitoring the situation carefully. We regularly raise our concerns about the security situation in the Sinai with the Egyptian authorities.

European Union: Legislative Competence

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his timetable is for his Department's work to review the EU's existing competences.

David Lidington: Extensive preparatory work is progressing and an announcement will be made to Parliament at the appropriate time.

Israel

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli Government on its water supply policies in the Jordan valley.

Alistair Burt: The British Government has had detailed discussions with both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities on the issue of water supply policies in the Jordan valley, including on the significant difference between the water allocated for use by Palestinians and Israeli settlers. In addition to lobbying at a political level, the UK is funding a project working with Palestinians and Israelis to help improve co-operation on water issues to the benefit of both parties.
	Water is one of the issues expected to be addressed in final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The UK continues to urge both parties to enter into direct talks to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Middle East

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the recent increase of rocket fire into Israel from Gaza.

Alistair Burt: We understand that between 17 to 23 June, over 150 rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, with 10 Israeli civilians being injured. Israel responded with several air strikes, killing 10 Palestinians. This was the worst escalation of violence since the beginning of March this year, when 134 rockets were fired from Gaza.
	We condemn indiscriminate rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel and have urged all sides to exercise restraint and prevent civilian casualties and loss of life.

Middle East

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support he is providing for the renewal of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Alistair Burt: The UK continues to make regular high level representations to the Government of Israel and to the Palestinians on the urgency of making progress towards a two-state solution. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made this clear in his discussions with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 22 May and with Palestinian President Abbas on 6 July. The UK also provides practical and technical support, including to the office of the Quartet Representative, to reinforce the prospects for peace.

Middle East

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the Palestinian Authority's adherence to their Road Map commitment to end incitement against Israel.

Alistair Burt: The British Government oppose the advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence in all circumstances. In response to allegations of anti-Israeli incitement on Palestinian state television, officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem have raised concerns with the Head of the News Department at Palestine TV who stressed that they have strict instructions from the highest Palestinian authorities to prevent the broadcasting of any material that promotes incitement or hatred. We are not aware of any other credible recent evidence of anti-Israeli incitement by the Palestinian Authority. The Road Map stipulates that a tri-partite committee would look at incidents of incitement, to which any party can appeal.

Russia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to Russia on the jailing of members of the punk band Pussy Riot.

David Lidington: We are extremely concerned about the continued detention of three members of the band Pussy Riot, who have been held in pre-trial detention for almost four months. The severity of the Russian authorities’ response—detention on the serious criminal charge of hooliganism—appears to be disproportionate to the manner in which they expressed their political beliefs. Amnesty International has classified the members of Pussy Riot as “Prisoners of Conscience”.
	The Government have repeatedly expressed their serious concern to the Russian Government over attempts to limit freedom of assembly. We will continue to call on the Russian Government to protect the right to legitimate protest and will raise this case at our UK-Russia Bilateral Human Rights Dialogue on 13 July.

Syria

Richard Drax: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is making any preparations for any part of the armed forces to be deployed to Syria.

Philip Hammond: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.
	The Ministry of Defence has submitted military nominations to fill a key appointment in the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS). As at 25 June, the Syrian authorities have yet to grant visas for either of the nominated individuals. Without visa authorisation UK nominees are unable to deploy.

Visits Abroad

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries he is planning to visit in the next 12 months.

David Lidington: For security reasons we do not make public the advance travel plans of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Farms: Crops

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the profitability for farmers of catch crops.

James Paice: DEFRA has not made any specific assessment of the profitability for farmers of catch crops. These crops tend to be grown as forage crops, often substituting for grazing or silage. Their contribution to farm profitability, while being taken into account where appropriate, has not been separately assessed—the output in terms of livestock production will be within livestock sales and value change, while the costs incurred in growing them, e.g. seed, fertiliser etc, are normally subsumed within farm costs.

Farms: Water

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department has provided to farmers on the (a) effective and (b) reduced use of water.

Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 495W, which described the assistance, including advice, being provided to farmers who operate in areas of drought.
	In the longer term, the Department has funded over 20 research projects on the sustainable (effective and reduced) use of water in agriculture to the value of over £6 million in the last six years. Most of these projects have a knowledge transfer component generating advisory outputs, such as the DEFRA Water Audit toolkit available on the UK Irrigation Association website.
	The Department has provided advice on the cross compliance aspects of water abstraction for many years. The Department's new Farming Advice Service now provides advice on climate change adaptation and has begun developing and delivering advice on water management in both livestock and crops. The Environment Agency has published advice on the reduced and effective use of water in agriculture on its website, in its ‘Waterwise’ leaflets, and via direct advice to farmers, including construction of storage reservoirs, rainwater harvesting, formation of water abstraction groups, irrigation and rotational planning, adoption of new (e.g. irrigation) technology.
	Natural England, through the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme, offers training and advice to farmers within 65 priority catchments on a range of activities relating to water use on farm, including reducing volumes of dirty water and utilising rainwater. This includes advice and grants towards rainwater harvesting goods such as storage tanks, first flush rainwater diverters and downpipe filters, yard works for clean and dirty water separation, roofing for slurry and silage stores and pesticide wash down areas. Training and advice is also offered on best practice management of water runoff from land to reduce the risk of diffuse pollution from agriculture.

Fisheries: Dee Estuary

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what representations her Department has received from (a) Natural England, (b) the Sea Fisheries Liaison Group and (c) other groups on any increased Welsh use of the Dee estuary arising from the review of the Management Plan for the River Dee and increased powers from the Welsh Government;
	(2)  if she will make it her policy that an applicant should state whether they are a self-employed fisherman on an application for a new Dee estuary cockle fishery licence;
	(3)  if she will make it her policy that both full and temporary licences for Dee estuary cockle fishing should be non-transferable;
	(4)  under what conditions the Environment Agency would award a Dee estuary cockle fishery temporary licence;
	(5)  whether she has taken steps to ensure an equal distribution of Dee estuary cockle fishery licences on the English and Welsh sides of the River Dee.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is responsible for the management of the Dee cockle fishery. The fishery is currently regulated by the Dee Regulating Order 2008 (granted to the Environment Agency under the Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967), and the fishery managed as set out in the associated Management Plan.
	It is my understanding that, as set out in the Management Plan for the fishery, the licences under the Order are non-transferable and that any decision to issue temporary licences is made on the basis of annual cockle stock surveys. New licences are allocated to those on a waiting list; when the Environment Agency compiled this list evidence of commercial fishing activity was a requirement. The Environment Agency does not restrict licences based on geographical location.
	I have received no recent representations on either a review of the Management Plan or the increased powers of the Welsh Government.

Floods: Crops

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the potential for legal challenges by farmers against the Environment Agency for the effect of recent flooding on crops.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has made no specific assessment of the potential for legal challenge by farmers against the Environment Agency due to the effects of recent flooding on crops.

Floods: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department plans to compensate or provide relief to those affected by recent flooding in the West Midlands.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 5 July 2012
	It has been the policy of consecutive Governments not to compensate for damages from extreme weather events, not least because it would be unfair to those who purchased insurance. Taxpayers' money is best spent on long term solutions that reduce the risk from flooding in the first place.
	A Bellwin scheme may be activated where an emergency or disaster occurs and local authorities incur expenditure taking action to safeguard life or property. The scheme is administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Food: Prices

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has any further plans to review the recent evidence on the drivers of food prices after the publication of the report on the 2007/08 Agricultural Price Spikes: Causes and Policy Implications.

James Paice: The Government continue to look at the potential drivers behind the prices of agricultural commodities and food. During the price spike in 2007-08, the drivers included fundamental changes in supply and demand; the run-down of agricultural stocks; export restrictions imposed by states in response to the shortages; and market uncertainty about the status of supplies. We will continue to research other areas where the results of activity are less certain, such as biofuels policies and market speculation.
	The Government also actively monitor food prices and the drivers behind changes in commodity prices. Research into this area has shown that the key drivers behind changes in food prices are global agricultural commodity prices, exchange rates, and fluctuating oil prices.
	We are also active on the world stage, working with G20 partners to improve market information through the Agricultural Market Information System and working to discourage inappropriate reactions to market events, such as the use of export bans, through the Rapid Response Forum.

Government Procurement Card

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many procurement card holders in her Department were (a) paid off-payroll, (b) employed on a part-time basis and (c) employed as a non-permanent employee in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA's policy is that only its own employees (i.e. those on payroll) who are working in core DEFRA at the time and not on loan elsewhere may use one of its Government Procurement Cards.
	For the period 2011-12, 739 full-time and 67 part-time employees of core DEFRA held Government Procurement Cards.
	For the periods 2009-10 and 2010-11 the information requested is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

Livestock: Exports

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much livestock was exported for slaughter outside of the UK in each of the last five years.

James Paice: Prior to 2009, individual Animal Health offices had responsibility for tracking exports. Therefore, data prior to 2009 are not held centrally. The data for 2010 are limited as the introduction of a centralised team within Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories was gradual.
	The centralised data available are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Animals No. of consignments for slaughter No. of animals for slaughter Total no. of animals 
			 2011 Pigs 6 422 (1)27,563 
			  Sheep and Goats 40 14,606 (1)— 
			  Cattle 91 12,535 (1)— 
			      
			 2012 (to date) Pigs 0 0 (2)3,246 
			  Sheep and Goats 10 3,098 (2)— 
			  Cattle 1 148 (2)— 
			 (1) Indicates a brace. (2) Indicates a brace.

Rain Forests

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on the continuing destruction of the rainforests.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 6 July 2012
	Tackling illegal logging and deforestation is a priority for the coalition Government, and we are in the process of implementing two EU Regulations to tackle the trade in illegal timber. The EU Timber Regulation, which enters into force on 3 March 2013, will require operators first placing timber and timber products on the EU market to exercise due diligence to ensure that this timber has been legally harvested. The Regulation also includes a prohibition on the first placing of illegal timber on the EU market. This approach is complemented by the EU FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) Regulation, under which countries can sign a voluntary partnership agreement with the EU to ensure that timber and timber products from those countries has come from legally harvested sources. Six countries have signed agreements with the EU and are developing their legality assurance systems to ensure compliance with the Agreements.
	The Government have also set up an International Climate Fund (ICF) to help developing countries tackle climate change and reduce poverty. Protecting the world's forests is a priority theme of the ICF, accounting for around 20% of the total funds (£2.9 billion) from 2011 to 2015.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Housing: Construction

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) owner-occupied, (b) housing association, (c) privately rented and (d) local authority houses have been built in each of the last 15 years.

Grant Shapps: Statistics on house building are published on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at the following link. These figures include completions in England for each of the last 15 years, and include a breakdown into house building by private enterprise, housing associations and local authorities. It is not possible to measure how many of these are built for owner-occupation or private rental.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/housebuilding/

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Homosexuality: Marriage

Karl McCartney: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will take steps to ensure that the views of all sections of society, including those who have not responded to her consultation on same-sex marriage are taken into account during policy development.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Government consultation on enabling same-sex couples to have a civil marriage ceremony closed on 14 June 2012. We are currently considering all the responses and will publish a Government response by the end of the year.
	I am aware that there are a wide range of opinions on this subject and therefore every effort has been made to ensure that people, across all views, had the opportunity to respond to the consultation. Both Ministers and officials widely encouraged both individual responses and those from organisations that would represent many more people. The Government will be taking into account all responses received during this time, via correspondence, email, or the online consultation form.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bank Services

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the provisions of customer compensation for (a) bank fines and (b) third-party fines incurred as a result of the recent bank system errors within (i) Royal Bank of Scotland, (ii) NatWest and (iii) Ulster Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) to the hon. Member for Foyle (Mark Durkan) on 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 901, and to the replies I have subsequently given to the hon. Member for Gedling (Vernon Coaker) on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column, 736W, and 6 July 2012, Official Report, column 859W.
	The Chairman of RBS has given us assurances that Ulster Bank will treat its customers properly and fairly and that they will be compensated fully for financial loss.
	HM Treasury and the FSA are carefully monitoring the situation, as am I, and we remain in close contact with RBS.
	Since the problems in Ulster Bank arose I have discussed the matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) and the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke). My right hon. Friend the Minister of State has also had regular discussions with the Chairman of RBS, Sir Philip Hampton, and the Chief Executive of RBS, Stephen Hester, and the Exchequer Secretary during this period. During his latest telephone call with Stephen Hester this morning, the Minister of State was assured that further progress had been made and that Ulster Bank is hopeful that all outstanding problems will be resolved later this week. It is important the Bank continues to make all efforts to ensure this happens.
	We have also discussed the issue with HM Revenue & Customs who have assured us that they will treat sympathetically and considerately any taxpayers who are charged a penalty or surcharge for late payment as a result of the problems at Ulster Bank and will put matters right if those customers get in touch with HMRC.
	We shall continue to monitor the situation until the problems at Ulster Bank are resolved.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electricity Generation

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to announce the recommendations of his Electricity Demand Reduction Project before the summer recess.

Charles Hendry: In the July 2011 White Paper, “Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity”, DECC committed to undertake an assessment by summer 2012 to determine whether DECC should take further steps to improve the support and incentives for the efficient use of electricity.
	This assessment is nearing completion and will be published shortly.

Electricity: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total cost to the public purse was of the Hydro-Benefit Replacement Scheme in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012 to date.

Gregory Barker: The cost of the Hydro-Benefit Replacement Scheme is recovered through charges on the licensed electricity supply companies across Great Britain. The following table sets out the total amount recovered (or to be recovered) for each financial year as supplied by National Grid.
	
		
			 Financial year Total amount recovered (£ million) 
			 2008-09 46.505 
			 2009-10 48.672 
			 2010-11 48.059 
			 2011-12 50.361 
			 2012-13 52.985

Electricity: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total cost to the public purse was of the Common Tariff Obligation in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012 to date.

Gregory Barker: The Common Tariff Obligation prohibits licensed electricity suppliers from discriminating among comparable domestic customers in charges on the basis of their location in the North of Scotland and as such imposes no cost on the public purse.

Electricity: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of consumers in Scotland who have participated in the (a) Common Tariff Obligation and (b) Hydro-Benefit Replacement Scheme in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2011 and (v) 2012 to date.

Gregory Barker: All consumers in the Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution area benefit from both the Common Tariff Obligation and the Hydro Benefit Replacement Scheme. Set out in the following table is the number of consumers (both domestic and industrial/commercial) served by Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution as supplied by the company.
	
		
			  Number of consumers 
			 2008 709,201 
			 2009 721,019 
			 2010 729,290 
			 2011 740,768 
			 2012 745,907

Electricity: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total average saving per year for consumers in Scotland through the Common Tariff Obligation in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012 to date.

Gregory Barker: The Common Tariff Obligation prohibits licensed electricity suppliers from discriminating among comparable domestic customers in charges on the basis of their location. It is not possible to estimate what each consumer's annual electricity bill would have been in the absence of the Common Tariff Obligation.

Energy: Prices

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much money energy companies have spent on assisting low income households and low income areas in each of the last five years.

Gregory Barker: Energy companies are required to assist low income households through the delivery of energy efficiency measures under the Community Energy Saving Programme and at least 15% of their carbon emissions reduction target obligations. We do not currently have powers to require suppliers to disclose how much they spend under these schemes. Estimates of the overall cost to companies in meeting their obligations are set out in the relevant impact assessments. We have powers that will enable us to obtain better information about costs under the new energy company obligation.
	The amount that suppliers have spent over the past five years on providing assistance with energy bills to low income and to vulnerable households is set out in the following table. This information has been sourced from Ofgem's reports on suppliers' social spending for April 2007 to March 2011. The estimate of suppliers' spending on the first year of the Warm Home Discount scheme is based on the impact assessment for the scheme and will be confirmed following Ofgem's end of year audits of suppliers' spending on the scheme.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 Financial year and scheme details Total spend by suppliers on energy price support 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 (first year of the Warm Home Discount Scheme) (1)250 
		
	
	
		
			 April 2010 to March 2011 (third year of the voluntary agreement—agreed spend was £150 million 178 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 (second year of the voluntary agreement—agreed spend was £125 million l53 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 (first year of the voluntary agreement—agreed spend was £100 million 157 
			 April 2007 to March 2008 57 
			 (1) Estimate—subject to confirmation by Ofgem following end of year audits.

Energy: Prices

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to provide assistance to care homes in meeting energy costs.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Department has no such plans. However, care homes, like all British homes and businesses, will have the opportunity to take up energy efficiency measures to help them manage their fuel bills under the Government's new Green Deal.

Environment Protection: Employment

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people were employed in the (a) environmental and (b) renewable energy sector in May (i) 2010 and (ii) 2012.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not made any assessment of the number of people employed in the (a) environmental and (b) renewable energy sector in May (i) 2010 and (ii) 2012.
	Over the 2011-2012 financial year, the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment (ORED) collated industry announcements totalling £6.9 billion confirmed and planned investments in the renewable energy sector, with the potential support of over 20,800 jobs.

Green Deal Scheme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 20 March 2012, Official Report, column 602W, to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree, what the cost to the public purse will be of the Green Deal in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014 and (d) 2015.

Gregory Barker: Budgets for the Green Deal are as follows:
	
		
			  Green Deal cost (£ million) 
			 2012-13 30.4 
			 2013-14 25.9 
			 2014-15 19.5 
		
	
	Budgets beyond 2012-13 are indicative only. The above table does not include the £200 million for a launch incentives scheme which is allocated across 2012-13 and 2013-14.

Green Deal Scheme

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will assess the energy saving performance of window film and consider it for inclusion in the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: Window film is not currently eligible for Green Deal finance, but could potentially be included if a quantified and verified energy saving estimate is modelled in the assessment tools RdSAP or SBEM. This is necessary because the assessment tools generate the savings estimate on which the Green Deal finance quote is based. The route industry can use to include measures in the assessment tools is through a process called Appendix Q. Details can be found on the Building Research Establishment's website.

Green Deal Scheme

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on enabling the fitting of window film to be included within the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: We have received a number of representations about window film being included in the Green Deal.
	Window film is not currently eligible for Green Deal finance, but could potentially be included if a quantified and verified energy saving estimate is modelled in the assessment tools RdSAP or SBEM. This is necessary because the assessment tools generate the savings estimate on which the Green Deal finance quote is based. The route industry can use to include measures in the assessment tools is through a process called Appendix Q. Details can be found on the Building Research Establishment's website.

Nuclear Power

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department last met (a) Citigroup, (b) KPMG and (c) PricewaterhouseCoopers to discuss the strike price for nuclear power.

Charles Hendry: The Department regularly meets a range of external stakeholders and financial institutions to discuss a number of issues relating to electricity market reform, but has not met Citigroup, KPMG, or PricewaterhouseCoopers specifically to discuss the strike price for nuclear power.

Renewable Energy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much renewable electricity has been sold to the grid (a) in total and (b) by each local authority in England and Wales since August 2010; how much income local authorities have generated from the sale of renewable electricity in the last 12 months; what the total proportion is of electricity in England generated by local authority-owned renewables; how many new renewable electricity generation projects have been commissioned by local authorities since August 2010; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: DECC does not maintain records of how much renewable electricity has been sold to the grid by local authorities in England and Wales, how much income local authorities have generated from the sale of renewable electricity, the total proportion of electricity in England generated by local authority-owned renewables or the number of renewable electricity generation projects commissioned by local authorities.
	Renewable generation is currently supported through the Renewables Obligation (RO), with Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) incentivising small-scale generation. Both schemes are administered by Ofgem. Information on registered installations receiving support under the two schemes is available from the Ofgem Renewables and CHP Register and Ofgem's Central FITs Register. Both can be accessed through the following link:
	https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk

Renewable Energy: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps the Government is taking to stimulate the manufacturing of renewable energy technology in the West Midlands.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 5 July 2012
	Recent steps taken by the Government to stimulate the manufacturing of renewable energy technology across England include encouraging businesses in the sector to apply for grants and/or loans from the new £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) and £l billion Regional Growth Fund (RGF) Round Three. Businesses in the West Midlands are eligible to submit bids for the AMSCI or RGF as appropriate.
	In addition, renewable energy companies across the UK can apply for innovation funding and support. This includes the Second Call for proposals for the Offshore Wind Component Technologies Development and Demonstration Scheme and support under the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund. Full details of the available innovation funding and support can be found on DECC's website at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/funding/funding_ops/innovation/innovation.aspx
	Based on recent announcements, we are aware of £51 million investment in the renewable energy sector in the West Midlands over the 2011-12 financial year with the support of 150 jobs.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people he estimates will receive the Warm Homes Discount in 2012-13.

Gregory Barker: Around 2 million households will receive support under the Warm Home Discount scheme in 2012-13. This is expected to include around 1 million of the poorest pensioners.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  whether the UK plans to allocate new funds to address violence against women and girls at the upcoming Tokyo conference on Afghanistan;
	(2)  what budget commitment the Government is planning to make to help tackle violence against women and girls as part of its contribution at the upcoming Tokyo meeting on development in Afghanistan;
	(3)  how the Government plans to ensure that violence against women is addressed at the upcoming Tokyo meeting on development in Afghanistan.

Andrew Mitchell: The international community must make long-term development commitments at Tokyo to secure Afghanistan’s future. Once the level of international finance and the Government of Afghanistan’s reform commitments have been agreed, the UK, along with our Afghan and international partners, will review how resources can best be prioritised for the good of the Afghan people. Last weekend, I announced that the UK will maintain its current funding levels of £178 million per year for the next five years.
	The UK is already working closely with the Afghan Government and Afghan civil society to secure progress on women’s rights, educating girls, helping 8,000 of the poorest women into jobs and working with groups dedicated to protecting women. I met women’s groups last weekend in Lashkar Gar in Afghanistan and will be meeting with Afghan women civil society representatives in the margins of the Tokyo conference to hear first hand how the UK can best support women’s rights in the years ahead.

Developing Countries: Biofuels

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has made to the EU Foreign Affairs Council on the effect of biofuels on sustainable development in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), has not made any direct representations to the EU Foreign Affairs Council on the impact of biofuels on sustainable development in developing countries. It was not on the agenda at the last EU Foreign Affairs Council.
	The UK must, in law, comply with the EU renewable energy directive (RED) which contains a target for the UK to source 15% of its overall energy, and 10% of energy used in transport, from renewable sources by 2020. The European Commission must monitor and report every two years on the impact of biofuel policy and increased demand for biofuel on social sustainability. Reports must address issues of land use rights, and must also state whether the production of raw material for biofuel for use in the EU complies with conventions of the International Labour Organisation. If necessary, the Commission must propose corrective action.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on which occasions his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf since May 2010.

Andrew Mitchell: There have been no occasions when my parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with me or on my behalf since May 2010.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget that can be re-prioritised; what steps he has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of his Department's resource budget he has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation;
	(3)  when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the International Development Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Alan Duncan: DFID is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in the Improving Spending Control document. This can be found at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for re-prioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

South Sudan

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether plans to build teacher training centres in South Sudan will still go ahead in the original timeframe.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government are committed to enabling two million children (793,000 girls) to attend primary education and to printing and distributing 9.4 million textbooks in South Sudan by 2015. Current programmes include increasing access to primary and secondary education through the construction of 33 primary schools and four secondary schools in four states of South. Sudan. Over 1,100 teachers have been trained under the Basic Services Fund while 9,000 out-of-school children have been provided with quality primary education through the Global Poverty Action Fund.
	Achieving the planned results will be much more challenging given the consequences of the loss of South Sudan's oil revenues. One consequence of the financial crisis in South Sudan is that we have deferred some infrastructure projects in favour of higher priority and humanitarian and essential service delivery activities. The County Education Centres (CEC) project is one example. It remains part of DFID's longer term plans.

EDUCATION

Academies: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) the Education Funding Agency have received against free schools and academies with regard to provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Tim Loughton: The Department (a) in the past 12 months has not received any complaints against free schools and academies with regard to provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities. The Department manages the determination of disputes between academies and local authorities about the naming of an academy in a child's statement of SEN. In the same period of time the Department has dealt with 16 cases which have been referred either by an academy or by a local authority.
	(b) Since 1 April 2012, the Education Funding Agency has received three pieces of correspondence that relate to complaints about academies with regard to provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities, but these are out of the scope of its published complaints procedures.

Academies: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints against academies and free schools are being examined by (a) his Department and (b) the Education Funding Agency.

Tim Loughton: At present the (a) Department does not hold these data centrally, and (b) the Education Funding Agency is currently processing 13 complaints about academies under its published procedures, and 10 complaints about the administration of Independent Appeals Panels for admission to academies.
	In the future the Department will be providing this information to the Education Select Committee in an annual report.

Academies: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints against academies and free schools have been processed by (a) his Department and (b) the Education Funding Agency and its predecessor.

Tim Loughton: At present the (a) Department does not hold these data centrally, and (b) the Education Funding Agency, and its predecessor the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA), had systems in place to record overall volumes of correspondence about complaints but not numbers of cases it was investigating under its published procedures.
	An exception to this was complaints about administration of Independent Appeals Panels for admission to academies. YPLA considered 118 cases, up to March 2012, through a separate published process.
	In the future the Department will be providing this information to the Education Select Committee in an annual report.

Academies: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) the Education Funding Agency or its predecessor and (b) other organisations and individuals have sought clarification from his Department on their role in handling complaints against free schools and academies.

Tim Loughton: The (a) Education Funding Agency (EFA) has assumed the Young People's Learning Agency's responsibility for ensuring that academies comply with their funding agreements. Neither organisation sought clarification from the Department about its role in handling complaints about academies.
	No organisation, other than the Education Funding Agency or the Department for Education, has a role in handling complaints against free schools or academies. (b) The Special Educational Consortium has sought clarification from the Department on the role of the EFA in handling complaints against free schools and academies.

Academies: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has issued to the Education Funding Agency or its predecessor on its role in handling complaints against free schools and academies.

Nick Gibb: Free schools and academies should have their own complaints procedures. The Education Funding Agency (EFA) will handle complaints made about free schools and academies where they fail to follow these procedures.
	If the EFA finds that a free school or academy did not deal with a complaint appropriately it will request that the complaint is reconsidered.
	The EFA will also look at complaints where an academy has failed to comply with a duty imposed on it under its funding agreement. If it is satisfied that an academy is in breach of the funding agreement, and that the breach cannot be addressed informally, then it can seek to enforce compliance through the courts.

Education Funding Agency: Complaints

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints he has received on the complaints procedures of the Education Funding Agency and its predecessor.

Tim Loughton: Since 2010-11 the Department received one complaint about the complaints procedure of the Education Funding Agency and its predecessor.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of the withdrawal of the education maintenance allowance on the number of 16 to 19-year-olds entering further education in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England.

Nick Gibb: Underlying trends in participation in further education can be influenced by a range of factors, including the effects of changes to the economy, both at a national and local level; the availability and types of courses on offer locally; and the support provided by local services. It is not possible to disaggregate the impact of changes made to financial support from these other factors in the short term.
	The Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the 16 to19 Bursary Fund (which replaced education maintenance allowance from the beginning of the current academic year). The evaluation will consider the perceived and actual impact of the new scheme on participation and attainment for students in specific groups. It will investigate differences and impacts at a national and regional level (including for the midlands), but not at a constituency level.

Further Education: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 16 to 18-year-olds in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North constituency who were entitled to a free school meal in year 11 are studying in (a) further education colleges, (b) a school sixth form and (c) a sixth-form college; and what proportion of the total number of students studying at each such institution this represents.

Nick Gibb: Tables 1 and 2 shows estimates for the number and percentage of 16 to 18-year-olds who were entitled to free school meals (FSM) in year 11 who studied in (a) further education colleges, (b) a school sixth form and (c) a sixth-form college in Warrington local authority and Warrington North constituency in the 2010/11 academic year.
	
		
			 Table 1: 16 to 18-year-olds who studied in school sixth form/sixth-form college/FE college in Warrington local authority in 2010/11 by FSM status at age 15 
			 Number of students aged 16 to 18 
			   FE colleges School sixth form Sixth-form college Total 
			 Eligible for FSM Full-time education 210 50 125 390 
			  Part-time education 5 — 5 10 
			  Total 215 50 135 400 
			       
			 Not eligible for FSM Full-time education 1,120 1,335 2,060 4,510 
			  Part-time education 65 — 25 90 
			  Total 1,185 1,335 2,085 4,605 
			       
			 Unknown FSM status Full-time education 55 25 60 140 
			  Part-time education 20 — 5 25 
			  Total 75 25 65 165 
			       
			 Total Full-time education 1,385 1,410 2,250 5,045 
			  Part-time education 90 — 35 125 
			  Total 1,475 1,410 2,285 5,170 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of students aged 16 to 18 
			   FE colleges School sixth form Sixth-form college Total 
			 Eligible for FSM Full-time education 15 4 6 8 
			  Part-time education 4 — 17 8 
			  Total 15 4 6 8 
			       
			 Not eligible for FSM Full-time education 81 94 92 89 
			  Part-time education 72 — 74 73 
			  Total 80 94 91 89 
			       
			 Unknown FSM status Full-time education 4 2 3 3 
			  Part-time education 23 — 9 19 
			  Total 5 2 3 3 
			       
			 Total Full-time education 100 100 100 100 
			  Part-time education 100 — 100 100 
			  Total 100 100 100 100 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: 16 to 18-year-olds who studied in school sixth form/sixth-form college/FE college in Warrington North constituency in 2010/11 by FSM status at age 15 
			 Number of students aged 16 to 18 
			   FE colleges School sixth form Sixth-form college Total 
			 Eligible for FSM Full-time education 210 25 — 240 
			  Part-time education 5 — — 5 
			  Total 215 25 — 240 
			       
			 Not eligible for FSM Full-time education 1,120 320 — 1,440 
			  Part-time education 65 — — 65 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 1,185 320 — 1,505 
			       
			 Unknown FSM status Full-time education 55 5 — 60 
			  Part-time education 20 — — 20 
			  Total 75 5 — 85 
			       
			 Total Full-time education 1,385 355 — 1,740 
			  Part-time education 90 — — 90 
			  Total 1,475 355 — 1,830 
		
	
	
		
			 Percentage of students aged 16 to 18 
			   FE colleges School sixth form Sixth-form college Total 
			 Eligible for FSM Full-time education 15 8 — 14 
			  Part-time education 4 — — 4 
			  Total 15 8 — 13 
			       
			 Not eligible for FSM Full-time education 81 90 — 83 
			  Part-time education 72 — — 72 
			  Total 80 90 — 82 
			       
			 Unknown FSM status Full-time education 4 2 — 4 
			  Part-time education 23 — — 23 
			  Total 5 2 — 5 
			       
			 Total Full-time education 100 100 — 100 
			  Part-time education 100 — — 100 
			  Total 100 100 — 100 
			 Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest five students. The components of each table may not sum to the total due to independent rounding 2. FSM status is recorded for students in state schools at academic age 15. 3. School sixth forms includes special schools with a designated sixth form.

Further Education: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 16 to 18-year-olds who were entitled to free school meals in year 11 are studying in a general further education or sixth form college in Bassetlaw.

Nick Gibb: Table 1 shows estimates for the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds who were entitled to free school meals (FSM) in year 11 who studied in a general further education or sixth form college in Bassetlaw local authority in the 2010/11 academic year.
	
		
			 Table 1: 16 to 18-year-olds who studied in sixth form/FE colleges in Bassetlaw in 2010/11 by FSM status at age 15 
			  Number 
			 Eligible for FSM at 15  
			 Full-time education 160 
			 Part-time education 35 
			 Total 195 
			   
			 Not eligible for FSM at 15  
			 Full-time education 755 
			 Part-time education 205 
			 Total 955 
			   
			 Unknown FSM status at 15  
			 Full-time education 50 
			 Part-time education 30 
			 Total 80 
			   
			 Total  
			 Full-time education 965 
			 Part-time education 265 
			 Total 1,230 
			 Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest five students. The components of each table may not sum to the total due to independent rounding. 2. FSM status is recorded for students in state schools at academic age 15.

Further Education: Wentworth

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 16 to 18-year-olds who were entitled to a free meal in year 11 are now studying in a general further education or sixth form college in Wentworth and Dearne constituency.

Nick Gibb: Table 1 shows estimates for the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds who were entitled to free school meals (FSM) in year 11 who studied in a general further education or sixth form college in the Wentworth and Dearne constituency in the 2010/11 academic year.
	
		
			 Table 1: 16 to 18-year-olds who studied in sixth form/FE colleges in the Wentworth and Dearne constituency, in 2010/11 by FSM status at age 15 
			  Number 
			 Eligible for FSM at 15  
			 Full-time education 240 
			 Part-time education 45 
			 Total 280 
			   
			 Not eligible for FSM at 15  
			 Full-time education 990 
			 Part-time education 185 
			 Total 1,170 
			   
			 Unknown FSM status at 15  
			 Full-time education 45 
			 Part-time education 10 
			 Total 50 
			   
			 Total  
			 Full-time education 1,270 
			 Part-time education 235 
			 Total 1,505 
			 Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest five students. The components of each table may not sum to the total due to independent rounding. 2. FSM status is recorded for students in state schools at academic age 15.

GCE A-level

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils who (a) were and (b) were not receiving free school meals in their last year of compulsory secondary school (i) entered at least one A level, (ii) achieved three or more A-levels and (iii) achieved three or more grade As at A level.

Nick Gibb: The information requested by free school meal eligibility (eligible for and claiming free school meals) is provided in the following table. Information on whether or not a pupil is receiving free schools meals is not available.
	
		
			 Number and percentage of pupils(1) entering at least one A level(2) in 2010/11 and those achieving three or more A levels (at grades A*-E) and three or more A*-A grades, by free school meal eligibility(3) 
			  Pupils eligible for free school meals All other pupils All pupils 
			  No. % No. % No. % 
			 Entering at least one level(2) 13,447 52.1 211,791 68.2 225,238 67.0 
			 Of those pupils entering at least one A level, those achieving three or more A*-E grades 8,459 62.9 162,609 76.8 171,068 75.9 
			 Of those pupils entering at least one A level, those achieving three or more A*-A grades 546 4.1 22,353 10.6 22,899 10.2 
			 (1) Pupils aged 16-18 at the start of the 2010/11 academic year attending maintained schools (including Academies and CTCs) and FE sector colleges. (2) Includes GCE/Applied GCE A Levels and Double Awards. (3) Pupils eligible for free school meals at the end of year 11. Source: National Pupil Database (final data)

GCSE

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of Key Stage 4 students took (a) only GCSEs, (b) GCSEs and other qualifications and (c) no qualifications in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Number and percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 who have attempted only GCSEs, GCSE and equivalent or no qualifications; year: 2006/07 to 2010/11(1), Coverage: England 
			  Pupils who have attempted GCSE qualifications only(2,3) Pupils who have attempted GCSE and equivalent qualifications(4) Pupils who have. achieved no qualifications(5) 
			  No. of pupils % of pupils No. of pupils % of pupils No. of pupils % of pupils 
			 2006/07 322,830 49.3 646,451 98.7 8,695 1.3 
			 2007/08 247,994 38.0 646,969 99.1 6,114 0.9 
			 2008/09 175,190 27.6 629,470 99.2 5,026 0.8 
			 2009/10 130,976 20.5 632,429 98.9 6,834 1.1 
			 2010/11(6) 96,618 15.4 624,220 99.4 3,525 0.6 
			 (1) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (2) Includes full GCSEs, short course GCSEs, double award and vocational GCSEs. (3) From 2010, also includes accredited iGCSEs. (4) Includes pupils entered for any qualification included in the Secondary School Performance Tables. (5) Only pupils who have achieved vocational qualifications are included in our data. For GCSEs, all pupils who are entered are included. (6)Figures-for 2010/11 are revised, all other figures are final.

GCSE

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the potential effect on further education rates of his proposed changes to the GCSE system in (a) Bethnal Green and Bow constituency, (b) Tower Hamlets and (c) nationally.

Nick Gibb: We are considering options for the long term reform of Key Stage 4 examinations and will set out our proposals shortly. Those proposals will look to address the failure of the current GCSE system to support the further education prospects of those who currently achieve lower grades. The evidence for that failure is clear.
	The Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) showed that 17% of young people who had not achieved a C grade at GCSE spent at least 12 months not in education, employment or training (NEET), in the 21 months after compulsory schooling ended(1), compared to 2% of those with five to seven GCSEs at A*-C.
	In 2008, 16% of students obtained the lower GCSE grades (E, F and G) in English and 22% in maths by age 16; only 10% of them continued to study these GCSEs after the age of 16 and only 2% achieved a C grade or above by 19.
	In presenting our reforms, we will be looking to ensure that our qualifications will support every student with a good foundation for progression to further education.
	(1 )September 2006 to May 2008: LSYPE tracked outcomes for a sample of young people who were in year 11 in the academic year 2005/06.

HM Chief Inspector of Schools: Correspondence

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what expectation he has of the time taken by the chief inspector of schools to reply to correspondence from hon. Members; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 4 July 2012
	As a non-ministerial Government Department, Ofsted is responsible for its own correspondence handling arrangements. The Cabinet Office publishes an annual report detailing departmental performance in the handling of Members’ correspondence and the 2011 report showed that Ofsted replied to 90% of letters from parliamentarians within the target of 15 working days.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.

Tim Loughton: The information for the Department is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Average working days lost per person 
			  Department for Education Executive agencies 
			   EFA STA TA NCSL 
			 June 2009 to May 2010 6.6 — — — — 
			 June 2010 to May 2011 5.7 — — — — 
			 June 2011 to May 2012 5.4 4.4 3 4.5 6 
		
	
	The Department has four executive agencies: the Standards and Testing Agency, the Teaching Agency, the National College, and the Education Funding Agency. The Standards and Testing Agency opened on 1 October 2011; the other three agencies began operating on 1 April 2012.

Primary Education

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education for what reason primary school reporting of pupils' levels identifies sub-levels at Level 2 but not Level 1 or Level 3; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department started to collect Key Stage 1 statutory teacher assessment results in 1992. In the first few years of this collection around 80% of pupils were assessed at level 2. Sub levels were introduced in 1997 to differentiate the attainment of this large group of pupils.
	Key Stage 1 tests and tasks inform the statutory teacher assessment judgment. Level 1 and Level 3 tests are designed to assess whole levels of attainment, but Level 2 tasks and tests do differentiate between the three sub-levels. This helps the teachers to assess their pupils accurately.
	The Department is not planning to make any changes to the Key Stage 1 assessment levels ahead of introducing a new National Curriculum.

Pupil Exclusions

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress he has made on producing a nationwide league table of secondary school fixed period and permanent exclusions; and what progress he has made on those exclusions being shown by (a) ethnicity and (b) socio-economic background.

Nick Gibb: The Government are considering the case for publishing school-level exclusion data.
	The Government are addressing the disproportionately high exclusion rates of pupils from certain ethnic groups and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds by creating the right incentives for schools to work with these pupils in order to prevent exclusion. This includes trialling a new system of exclusion in 11 local authorities that places greater responsibility on schools for the education that excluded pupils receive, as well as allowing schools to access funding for early intervention with pupils at risk of exclusion. The independent evaluation of this system will look in detail at the outcomes for pupils in groups that are especially vulnerable to exclusion, including pupils from ethnic groups with high rates of exclusion and those who are eligible for free school meals.
	The Government have also revised statutory exclusion guidance to clarify schools' legal duty not to discriminate against a particular group of pupils through their use of exclusion and to highlight the importance of identifying and addressing any additional needs of pupils from groups who are vulnerable to exclusion.
	Schools are held to account for their use of exclusion through the inspection process. The rates and patterns of exclusion are part of the evidence that Ofsted inspectors take into account when coming to a judgment on a school's behaviour and safety. This assessment specifically includes consideration of whether any particular groups of pupils have been disproportionately excluded.

Pupil Exclusions: Greater London

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many exclusions there have been in (a) Greater London and (b) the London borough of Hackney in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Gibb: Exclusions data for 2005/06 to 2009/10 are shown in the tables. To provide data prior to 2005/06 would incur disproportionate cost.
	The latest data on exclusions were published in the ‘Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2009/10’ Statistical First Release on 28 July 2011 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001016/index.shtml
	Data for 2010/11 will be published in the ‘Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2010/11’ Statistical First Release on 25 July 2012 at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001080/index.shtml
	
		
			 Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3): Number and percentage of permanent exclusions(4) by type of school, Hackney local authority and London. 2005/06 to 2009/10 (estimates) 
			  London 
			  Maintained primary(1) State-funded secondary(1,2) Special(3) Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3) 
			  No. of permanent exclusions(7) % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions(7) % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions(7) % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions(7) % of the school population(6) 
			 2005/06 150 0.02 1,440 0.33 30 0.29 1,620 0.15 
			 2006/07 120 0.02 1,270 0.29 30 0.22 1,420 0.13 
			 2007/08 160 0.03 1,260 0.29 20 0.17 1,440 0.13 
			 2008/09 90 0.01 1,080 0.24 20 0.15 1,190 0.11 
			 2009/10 80 0.01 990 0.22 10 0.12 1,080 0.10 
		
	
	
		
			  Hackney 
			  Maintained primary(1) State-funded secondary(1,2) Special(3) Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3) 
			  No. of permanent exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of permanent exclusions(7) % of the school population(6) 
			 2005/06 7 0.04 25 0.34 0 0 30 0.13 
			 2006/07 0 0.00 20 0.27 (8)— (8)— 20 0.08 
			 2007/08 (8)— (8)— 26 0.34 (8)— (8)— 30 0.13 
			 2008/09 (8)— (8)— 5 0.11 0 0 10 0.04 
			 2009/10 (8)— (8)— 23 0.27 0 0 30 0.10 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academes (including all-through academes). (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Figures are as confirmed by local authorities as part of a data checking exercise. (5) Includes local authorities in inner and outer London. (6) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount of) pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in each year. (7) London numbers and totals for all school types have been rounded to the nearest10. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. (8) Data have been suppressed to protect confidentiality Source: School Census 
		
	
	
		
			 Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3) number and percentage of fixed period exclusions by type of school, Hackney local authority and London. 2005/06 to 2009/10 
			  London(4) 
			  Maintained primary(1) State-funded secondary(1,2) Special(3) Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3) 
			  No. of fixed period exclusions(5) % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions(5) % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions(5) % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions(5) % of the school population(6) 
			 2005/06(7) n/a n/a 40,210 9.16 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2006/07 6,880 1.10 44,000 9.99 2,900 24.88 53,780 4.98 
			 2007/08 6,410 1.02 39,590 8.95 2,560 22.31 48,560 4.49 
			 2008/09 5,560 0.88 39,530 8.85 2,280 19.52 47,380 4.34 
			 2009/10 5,210 0.81 37,500 8.31 2,140 18.09 44,850 4.05 
		
	
	
		
			  Hackney 
			  Maintained primary(1) State-funded secondary(1,2) Special(3) Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools(1,2,3) 
			  No. of fixed period exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions % of the school population(6) No. of fixed period exclusions(5) % of the school population(6) 
			 2005/06(7) n/a n/a 887 11.97 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 2006/07 334 1.87 884 11.97 31 10.10 1,250 4.88 
			 2007/08 356 2.01 853 11.08 50 17.61 1,260 4.91 
			 2008/09 334 1.88 990 12.27 46 16.20 1,370 5.25 
			 2009/10 386 2.14 1,383 16.17 42 14.84 1,810 6.73 
			 n/a = not available—no exclusions collected for schools of this type. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies}, (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Includes local authorities in inner and outer London. (5) London numbers and totals for all school types have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. (6) The number of fixed period exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in each year. (7) For the 2005/06 school year, information on fixed period exclusions from secondary schools, CTCs and academies was collected for the first time via the School Census (the Termly Exclusions Survey has bean discontinued). From 2006/07, the coverage was extended to include primary and special schools. Source: School Census

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have attracted payment of the pupil premium in (a) Bromsgrove constituency and (b) Worcestershire since its inception.

Sarah Teather: The Pupil Premium was introduced in April 2011. Pupil Premium funding is provided to schools which have on roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the deprivation premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the looked after child premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the service child premium).
	In the 2011-12 financial year 1,170 pupils in Bromsgrove were eligible for either the deprivation premium or service child premium. It is not possible to identify, at constituency level, the number of pupils recorded as being in care or recorded in the alternative provision census.
	The number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in 2012-13 has not yet been confirmed but the provisional estimate is that 1,820 pupils will be eligible for the deprivation premium or the service child premium in Bromsgrove. This estimate is based on January 2011 school census data and data for pupils eligible for FSM since 2006. It reflects the decision to extend eligibility for the deprivation premium to those eligible for FSM in the previous six years.
	In the 2011-12 financial year, 9,820 pupils were eligible for the pupil premium in Worcestershire. The provisional estimate on the same basis as that for Bromsgrove for the 2012-13 financial year is that 13,660 pupils in Worcestershire will be eligible for the pupil premium. These figures include pupils eligible for the deprivation premium, the service child premium and the looked after child premium.
	The actual number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in the 2012-13 financial year will be confirmed shortly.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Bromsgrove constituency have received funding from the pupil premium.

Sarah Teather: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011. Pupil premium funding is provided to schools which have on roll pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (the deprivation premium); children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months (the looked after child premium); and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces (the service child premium).
	In Bromsgrove the following 39 schools received the deprivation premium in the 2011-12 financial year. It is not possible to identify which schools received the service child premium or looked after child premium.
	Alvechurch C of E Middle School
	Aston Fields Middle School
	Beaconside Primary and Nursery School
	Belbroughton C of E Primary School and Nursery
	Beoley First School
	Blackwell First School
	Catshill First School
	Catshill Middle School
	Chadsgrove School
	Charford First School
	Clent Parochial Primary School
	Crown Meadow First School & Nursery
	Dodford First School
	Fairfield First School
	Finstall First School
	Hagley Catholic High School
	Hagley Primary School
	Haybridge High School and Sixth Form
	Hollywood, the Coppice Primary School
	Holywell Primary and Nursery School
	Hunters Hill Technology College
	Lickey End First School
	Lickey Hills Primary School
	Meadows First School
	Millfields First School
	North Bromsgrove High School
	Parkside Middle School
	Rigby Hall Day Special School
	Romsley St Kenelm's C of E Primary School
	Sidemoor First School
	South Bromsgrove Community High School
	St Andrew's C of E First School
	St John's C of E Foundation Middle School
	St Peter's Catholic First School
	Stoke Prior First School
	Tardebigge C of E First School
	Waseley Hills High School and Sixth Form Centre
	Woodrush Community High School
	Wythall, Meadow Green Primary
	The number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in 2012-13 has not yet been confirmed.

School Milk

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the potential effects on staff in each educational setting of the Department of Health's consultation on the Next Steps for Nursery Milk.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Department of Health has discussed the proposals set out in the Next Steps for Nursery Milk consultation with the Department. One of the purposes of the consultation is to explore three different options for reforming the operation of the scheme, looking at where it could be made more efficient and improving its value for money, while ensuring that all children under five attending a child care setting for more than two hours a day continue to be entitled to receive free milk. To explore these issues fully the Department of Health will, in parallel with the public consultation, be asking all child care providers currently registered with the scheme to complete a simple survey about how the scheme works for them now and how potential changes might affect them and the children they care for. The results of this survey will inform further detailed development of the options.

Schools: Finance

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of schools had (a) lower, (b) equal and (c) higher total revenue in the 2011-12 academic year than in the 2010-11 academic year;
	(2)  for how many and what proportion of schools pupil premium allocation was (a) less than, (b) equal to and (c) more than the reduction in their core budgets.

Nick Gibb: The following tables set out the changes in funding between 2010-11 and 2011-12 financial years. Most of the changes set out in these tables are a result of changes in pupil numbers. They will also reflect the impact of some local authorities redistributing mainstreamed grants in financial year 2011-12.
	The higher proportion of secondary schools seeing decreases in revenue funding compared to primary is in part a reflection of the lower level of FSM registration, and therefore pupil premium, in secondary schools compared to primary schools. Extending eligibility for the premium in 2012-13 to those eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years will address this differential.
	There is also a minimum funding guarantee in place which will ensure that no school will receive a reduction in its budget of more than 1.5% per pupil. The pupil premium is entirely in addition to this.
	
		
			 Number and percentage of schools experiencing the following changes between financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12: Number of primary schools Percentage of primary schools Number of secondary schools Percentage of secondary schools 
			 An increase in revenue funding before pupil premium added 10,071 60.6 1,241 45.9 
			 Equal revenue funding before pupil premium added 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 A decrease in revenue funding before pupil premium added 6,551 39.4 1,461 54.1 
			 Total schools 16,622 100.0 2,702 100.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Of schools that saw a decrease in their revenue funding before the pupil premium is added, the number and percentage experiencing the following changes in 2011-12: Number of primary schools Percentage of primary schools Number of secondary schools Percentage of secondary schools 
			 A pupil premium allocation less than their revenue funding reduction 4,691 71.6 1,165 79.7 
			 A pupil premium allocation equal to their revenue funding reduction 0 0.0 0 0.0 
			 A pupil premium allocation more than their revenue funding reduction 1,860 28.4 296 20.3 
			 Total schools: 6,551 100.0 1,461 100.0 
		
	
	The data above are taken from section 251 budget returns for 2010-11 and 2011-12 (all budget share and pupil premium data), and the 2010-11 consistent financial reporting (CFR) data (2010-11 grants data). They compare 2010-11 budget share plus grants to 2011-12 budget share and pupil premium data. (Since grants were separate in 2010-11 but mainstreamed into school budgets in 2011-12, they must be included in 2010-11 to get a meaningful comparison. This analysis uses CFR lines 104, 105, 114 and 115 as an indication of schools' grants income in 2010-11.)
	This analysis covers all maintained primary and secondary schools (including those middle deemed in both phases) which are present on all of the three data sources, and open throughout both FY 2010-11 and FY 2011-12. It includes sixth form and early years funding. Figures given are changes in absolute funding, unadjusted for pupil number changes.

Teachers: Pay

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of teachers in (a) academies and (b) maintained schools received an allowance in addition to their basic salary in each of the last three years; and what the average size of such allowances was.

Nick Gibb: The following table provides the number and percentage of regular qualified teachers in local authority maintained schools and Academies recorded as receiving an additional allowance and the average amount of those allowances. Comparable figures are not available for earlier years.
	
		
			 Qualified regular(1) teachers in local authority maintained schools and academies receiving additional allowances(2); November 2010 and 2011, England 
			  Local authority maintained schools Academies 
			  Teachers Percentage Allowance Teachers Percentage Allowance 
			 November 2010 148,730 33 4,340 7,350 35 5,160 
		
	
	
		
			 November 2011 127,360 32 4,060 33,810 42 5,060 
			 (1) Teachers with a contract of 28 days or more. (2) Includes teachers receiving teaching and learning responsibility payments, special educational needs allowances, recruitment and retention incentives and benefits or any other one-off allowances. GTC fee allowances are excluded. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source : School Workforce Census 
		
	
	Further information about the proportion of teachers receiving an allowance by type of school and allowance is available in table 7a of the School Workforce in England Statistical First Release, November 2011 which is available at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00205723/school-workforce-in-england-provisional-nov-2011

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford, (b) the London borough of Bexley and (c) Greater London are owned solely by women.

Mark Prisk: There is no information available on the number of businesses owned solely by women. However, we can estimate the number of majority women-led businesses and the number of self-employed women.
	The BIS Small Business Survey asks about the gender composition of the management team of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). From this we estimate there were 115,000 majority women-led SMEs in London at the start of 2011. No comparable information is available for either Bexleyheath and Crayford or the London borough of Bexley due to the small sample size of the survey.
	The estimated number of self-employed women in the London borough of Bexley and the Greater London region is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of self-employed women aged 16 to 64 years 
			 Area Estimated number of self-employed women aged 16 to 64 years 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford (1)— 
			 London borough of Bexley 3,000 
			 Greater London 175,500 
			 (1 )Not available, due to small sample size. Source: Annual Population Survey, Office for National Statistics (October 2010 to September 2011).

Co-operatives: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many employee-owned companies are registered in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) Greater London.

Mark Prisk: While the Office for National Statistics holds information on the number of companies in these areas (on the Inter-departmental Business Register), it does not have the information to determine how many of the shareholders of these companies are employees.

Credit Cards

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with lenders on the level of interest charged on credit cards.

Norman Lamb: None recently. Consumer credit regulation is designed to support people's access to credit, ensure fair treatment for consumers from lenders and provide safeguards to protect vulnerable people, particularly those at risk of falling into financial difficulty.
	As set out in our November 2011 response to the consumer credit and personal insolvency review, the Government see no case for intervening on interest rates on credit and store cards—the evidence shows that to do so would do more harm than good, potentially cutting off some consumers from an important source of mainstream credit. Other measures, such as the five rights for credit and store card users, which took effect at the end of 2010, have already delivered tangible benefits to consumers. These rights include:
	Right to repay: consumers' repayments will always be put against the highest rate debt first.
	Right to reject: consumers will be given more time to reject increases in their interest rate or their credit limit.
	Right to information: consumers at risk of financial difficulties will be given guidance on the consequences of paying back too little; and all consumers will be given clear information on increases in their interest rate or their credit limit including the right to reject.
	In addition, consumers who are at risk of financial difficulties are protected through a ban on increases in their credit limit as well as the ban on increases in their interest rate, and card companies have been working with debt advice agencies to agree new ways they will provide targeted support to consumers at risk to help improve their situation before they are in too deep.

English Language: Education

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  which institutions (a) he and (b) his officials met in each quarter of the last 12 months to discuss a strategy on the future shape and content for English for speakers of other languages qualifications in the UK; and on what dates such meetings took place;
	(2)  with which English for speakers of other languages qualifications providers (a) he and (b) his officials met in the last (i) three and (ii) six months to discuss a strategy on the future shape and content for ESOL qualifications in the UK.

John Hayes: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and I meet regularly with representatives from the further education sector to discuss a wide range of issues, including those relating to English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills met with the chair and CEO of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) in mid-June 2012. The subject of ESOL was briefly touched upon. Officials in BIS are currently working closely with Ofqual and the Skills Funding Agency who are ensuring that the views of key stakeholders such as ESOL awarding organisations, further education colleges and training organisations are being gathered and considered in developing a strategy on the future shape and content for ESOL qualifications in the UK for 2013/14 and beyond.

Higher Education: Scholarships

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students will participate in the National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13.

David Willetts: The National Scholarship Programme is designed to help people of all ages whose family income is no greater than £25,000 per annum. Higher education institutions set their own criteria for determining entitlement to an award from among this broad group of people. Institutions will offer a range of support from a menu which includes tuition fee waivers or discounts, subsidised accommodation and other institutional support, and a cash bursary of up to £1,000.
	All institutions that intend to charge more than the basic rate for tuition from 2012 are required to participate in the programme and contribute match funding which they will use either to increase the number of awards available, or the value of an award. Universities are responsible for advertising their criteria and making the awards.
	In the first year, the Government will contribute £50 million towards the NSP with the minimum level for an award set at £3,000 for each eligible full-time student. That would mean around 17,000 students would benefit. Of course the actual number is likely to be larger than this when institutions' match funding is taken into account as well as awards made to students studying part-time. By 2014/15 when the programme is fully operational, the Government's contribution to the National Scholarship Programme will be three times higher and, with match funding, up to 100,000 students a year could be supported.
	We have said that we intend to listen carefully to feedback we receive and look at the data that can tell us how effective the programme is, so that we can learn lessons and make changes as necessary. We have reconvened the expert group that helped us with the initial design to advise us on how best to proceed.

Higher Education: Scholarships

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much will be spent on (a) bursaries, (b) fee waivers, (c) discounted student accommodation, (d) free foundation years and (e) other measures under the National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13.

David Willetts: The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) is designed to help people of all ages whose family income is no greater than £25,000 per annum. Higher education institutions set their own criteria, based on their own priorities, for determining entitlement to an award from among this broad group of people.
	Institutions will offer a range of support from a menu which includes tuition fee waivers or discounts, subsidised accommodation and other institutional support, and a cash bursary of up to £1,000. The minimum level for an award is set at £3,000 for each eligible full-time student. Part-time students studying to a minimum intensity of 25% receive a pro-rata award. Universities and colleges can use their match funding to either increase the number of awards available, or the value of an award.
	Higher education institutions and further education colleges with access agreements provided the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) with estimates of how much they expect to spend in each of these areas under the NSP. The breakdown was published by the OFFA in December 2011 and are given in the following table.
	No data is available yet for institutions without access agreements who have taken up the option of participating in the programme.
	
		
			 Estimated expenditure under National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13 
			  £ million 
			 Fee waivers 52.9 
			 Subsidised accommodation 19.6 
			 Bursaries and scholarships 17.7 
			 Free foundation years 1.0 
			 NSP choice/institutional funds not yet allocated(1) 7.7 
			 Total 99.0 
			 (1) Some institutions are offering a choice of financial support to students under the National Scholarship Programme. In addition, a small number are still in the process of finalising their financial support arrangements under the NSP.

Higher Education: Scholarships

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much will be distributed to students at each higher education institution under the National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13.

David Willetts: In 2012-13, the Government will contribute £50 million towards the National Scholarship Programme with the minimum level for an award set at £3,000 for each eligible full-time student. Part-time students studying to a minimum intensity of 25% receive a pro-rata award.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England publishes the allocation for each institution from the Government's contribution to the National Scholarship Programme. This information can be found at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/wp/currentworktowidenparticipation/nationalscholarshipprogramme/
	In addition, universities and colleges will match fund the Government's contribution either to increase the number of awards available, or the value of an award.

Higher Education: Scholarships

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the average amount paid to students from the National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13.

David Willetts: The Government have made no estimate of the average value of an award.
	The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) is designed to benefit students whose family income is no greater than £25,000 per annum. Higher education institutions set their own criteria for determining entitlement to an award from among this broad group of people.
	In the first year, the Government will contribute £50 million towards the NSP with the minimum level for an award set at £3,000 for each eligible full-time student. Part-time students studying to a minimum intensity of 25% receive a pro-rata award. Universities and colleges can use their match funding to either increase the number of awards available, or the value of an award. The Government have no information on the number of awards likely to be made by each participating institution. The Higher Education Funding Council for England informs us that this information is likely to be available early next year.

Higher Education: Scholarships

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students at each higher education institution will participate in the National Scholarship Programme in 2012-13.

David Willetts: The Government have no information on the likely number of students who will receive an award from the National Scholarship Programme (NSP) at each participating institution. The Higher Education Funding Council for England informs us that this information is likely to be available early next year.
	The NSP will benefit eligible students from low income families entering higher education from autumn 2012. It is for higher education institutions to set their own criteria, according to their own priorities, for determining entitlement to an award.
	Each eligible full-time student who meets the institution's criteria will receive a minimum level of award set at £3,000. Eligible part-time students, studying to a minimum intensity of 25%, receive a pro-rata award.
	In the first year, the Government will contribute £50 million towards the NSP. That would mean around 17,000 full-time students would benefit. By 2014/15 when the programme is fully operational, the Government's contribution to the NSP will be three times higher and, with match funding, up to 100,000 students a year could be supported.

Regional Development Agencies: Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) retention payments and (b) bonuses were given to staff at each regional development agency in each of the last three years; and what the cost was in each case.

Mark Prisk: The number of retention payments and total cost at each regional development agency in the last three years to 30 June 2012 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Agency Number of retention payments Total value of retention payments (£000) 
			 Advantage West Midlands 18 726 
			 East of England Development Agency 16 632 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 15 614 
			 North West Regional Development Agency 14 733 
			 One North East 15 721 
			 South East Regional Development Agency 9 343 
			 South West Regional Development Agency 20 886 
			 Yorkshire Forward 17 656 
			 London Development Agency 0 0 
		
	
	The bonuses paid to senior directors in 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12 are set out in the agencies' annual reports and accounts for those years. Following closure of the agencies BIS has received records from each but it would be disproportionately expensive to establish the number of bonuses, if any, paid to junior staff in that period.
	At the East of England Development Agency, two separate ex gratia payments of £500 each were paid to almost all members of staff (barring Executive Directors) during 2011/12. These payments totalled £51,000; the individual payments were made on 31 August and 30 December 2011 and were paid to a total of 66 staff, although not all staff received both payments. These payments were outside the agency's pay remit and not approved by BIS. They were deemed “irregular” expenditure and the agency's 2011/12 accounts have received a qualified audit opinion from the Comptroller and Auditor General as a result.

Regional Development Agencies: Pay

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on what date remuneration payments to each board member of each regional development agency (RDA) will cease; and how much will be paid to RDA board members in each month in 2012.

Mark Prisk: Remuneration payments to RDA board members ceased on the abolition of the RDAs at the end of June 2012. The remuneration reports in the recently published RDA accounts for the financial year 2011/12, available at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/economic-development/regional-support/rda-reports-accounts
	show the serving board members and their remuneration. The board members serving from January 2012 received 1/12th of their annual remuneration shown in these accounts in each of the months from January to June 2012. In addition, the chairs of SEEDA and EEDA were due contractual compensation of £15,000 to 20,000 and £25,000 to 30,000 respectively in June 2012. These figures are subject to audit and will be confirmed in RDA accounts for the period to 30 June 2012 which are expected to be laid before Parliament later this year.

Teachers: Languages

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on the recruitment and retention of English teachers resulting from the time taken to bring forward a strategy on the future design and content of English for speakers of other languages qualifications.

John Hayes: English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) Adult Basic Skills Certificates at Entry, Level 1 and Level 2 remain in place for 2012/13. This Department is currently considering the future shape and content for ESOL qualifications for 2013/14 and beyond. This includes the intention to consult with key stakeholders including associations who represent ESOL teachers.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the Atos Healthcare average clearance (a) target and (b) performance against that target in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010, (iv) 2011 and (v) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: The contracted service level with Atos Healthcare for ESA claims is to clear medical assessments within an actual average clearance target (AACT) of 35 working days.
	The Atos Healthcare average clearance against the target for each contractual year is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of days 
			 September 2008 to August 2009 43.2 
			 September 2009 to August 2010 33.1 
			 September 2010 to August 2011 34.6 
			 September 2011 to May 2012 (latest period figures are available) 61.3 
		
	
	Following the Department's acceptance of Professor Harrington's recommendations, the introduction of the Personal Summary Statement (PSS) had a major effect on the AACT for WCA clearance.
	In the past year, there has been considerable financial investment in training health care professionals to deliver the Harrington recommendations. However, the intense training period for the introduction of the PSS had an impact upon the head of work.
	Atos Healthcare's ability to deliver a service within the AACT was also impacted by the service volumes for this period which were significantly above departmental forecasts; in addition Atos had recruitment demands/challenges. These issues collectively resulted in an increase in the AACT.
	DWP and Atos Healthcare are now working very closely to improve capacity and productivity through the DWP Executive Management Board.

Atos Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 426W, on Atos, what financial remedies are available; if he will publish a note of each occasion on which these remedies have been sought; and what the value was of the money received by his Department from Atos through such financial remedies in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: There are a range of financial remedies available within the contract to address service level failure. However, this is a matter between the Department for Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare.
	Financial remedies may or may not be imposed depending on the reason for failure. This is however commercial in confidence between the DWP and its supplier, as is the total cost of the financial remedies levied.

Disposable Income

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the level of disposable household income of (a) pensioners and (b) families with children in (i) Coventry, (ii) Coventry north-east constituency, (iii) the west midlands and (iv) England in each of the last five years.

Steve Webb: Estimates on disposable income are published in the Households Below Average Income series. The latest year of data which are available is for 2010-11. The smallest geographical breakdown available is at Government office region level. Therefore, information is not available for (i) the city of Coventry or (ii) Coventry North East constituency, but is available for (iii) the west midlands Government office region and (iv) England.
	Three-year averages are used to report regional statistics as single-year estimates are subject to volatility.
	Table 1 shows the median equivalised household income of pensioners in the west midlands and England in 2010-11. Table 2 shows the median equivalised household income of families with children in the west midlands and England for the same year. Results both Before Housing Costs and After Housing Costs have been provided.
	Measures for pensioners are generally on an After Housing Costs basis. This is because pensioners are far more likely to own their homes outright and so receive value from housing, without having to pay for rent or mortgage payments out of their current income.
	Measures for children are generally on a Before Housing Costs basis. The targets set out in the Child Poverty Act, the broader set of income measures in the Child Poverty Strategy and international comparisons are calculated this way. When considering the living standards of children, measures After Housing Costs can underestimate the true standard of living as a family may make a choice to spend more on rent or a mortgage to attain a higher standard of accommodation.
	
		
			 Table 1: Median equivalised household income of pensioners in the west midlands and England, Before and After Housing Costs in 2010-11 prices 
			 £ per week 
			  West midlands England 
			 Three year period BHC AHC BHC AHC  
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 362 353 362 351 
		
	
	
		
			 2007-08 to 2009-10 368 360 373 359 
			 2008-09 to 2010-11 367 353 378 359 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Median equivalised household income of families with children in the west midlands and England, Before and After Housing Costs in 2010-11 prices 
			 £ per week 
			  West midlands England 
			 Three year period BHC AHC BHC AHC 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 364 308 399 329 
			 2007-08 to 2009-10 364 305 401 329 
			 2008-09 to 2010-11 360 300 399 325 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. Figures have been presented on a Before Housing Cost and an After Housing Cost basis. For Before Housing Costs, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, buildings insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for After Housing Costs they are. 4. Incomes are presented in 2010-11 prices and have been rounded to the nearest pound. 5. We use Households Below Average Income data to provide estimates of average incomes. However, the sample size of this survey is not sufficient to provide estimates for small areas such as those requested. 6. Analysis has been carried out based on equivalised household incomes. This takes an adult couple with no children as the reference point. For example, the process of equivalisation would adjust the income of a single pensioner upwards, so that we can use income to directly compare their standard of living with a working-age couple without children. 7. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 8. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year.

Employment and Support Allowance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 21 March 2012, Official Report, column 706W, on Atos Healthcare, on how many occasions a Jobcentre Plus decision-maker did not follow the advice of an Atos-approved health care professional when making a decision on the eligibility for employment and support allowance in each month since May 2010; and what proportion of the total number of decisions made in each month these figures represent.

Chris Grayling: The information provided in the answer of 21 March 2012 is consistent with the January 2012 Official Statistics release. Table 2a in this publication provides the total number of initial assessments and their final outcomes by month. By comparing the totals for each month with those figures originally provided in the previous answer, it is possible to calculate the proportion of all outcomes where the Atos recommendation differs from the Decision Maker's decision.
	The relevant figures can be found in Table 2a in the spreadsheet at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_24012012_tables.xls

Employment and Support Allowance

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 19 March 2012, Official Report, column 492W, on employment and support allowance (ESA), how many people ceased receiving ESA as a result of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. Please note that the most recent national statistics for the ESA/IB client group is for November 2011 and the latest working-age ESA/IB early estimate is for April 2012. The latest information on early estimates can be found at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=early_ests

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 599W, on the Work programme, if he will place in the Library the most recent indicative volumes for claimants entering the Work programme in each of the next four years; what the reasons are for any changes since he last published the forecasts; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Work programme attachment profiles were placed in the House of Commons Library on 5 July 2012—Dep. 2012-1134.
	The Department has committed to reviewing profiles on a six-monthly basis in response to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasting cycle. Changes to the OBR forecasts have a direct knock-on impact on the forecasts of benefit on-flows, off-flows and durations. Work programme volumes can therefore be subject to both upward and downward revision over time depending on the prevailing economic forecasts.

Employment Schemes: Pay

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of money companies (a) nationally and (b) in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency have saved as a result of not paying the minimum wage to people participating in the Work programme.

Chris Grayling: Work experience undertaken as part of the Work programme does not fulfil a role which would otherwise be advertised as a job vacancy. No estimate of savings has therefore been made and would clearly be inappropriate given the aims of work experience, which is designed to help participants by enhancing their employment prospects and developing skills and disciplines associated with a normal working environment.

Employment Schemes: Scotland

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many constituents from Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill have participated in the Work programme since its inception.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many constituents from Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill have participated in the Work programme since its inception are available on the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged under 26 years were in receipt of housing benefit in Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency in each year from 2007 to 2011.

Steve Webb: Information is not readily available for housing benefit recipients aged under 25 at parliamentary constituency level, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit: Young People

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the total annual expenditure on housing benefit for people under the age of 25 in each of the next four financial years.

Steve Webb: The information is not available.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Graduates

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people who graduated in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011 who are currently claiming jobseeker’s allowance.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list any occasions since May 2010 on which his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf.

Chris Grayling: There has been no such occasion on which his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf.

Pensioners: Poverty

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of pensioners living in poverty in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years; and what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle pensioner poverty.

Steve Webb: Estimates of pensioner poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income series. The most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty relates to those people with income below 60% of contemporary median income, after housing costs. This is often referred to as relative poverty.
	The smallest geographical breakdown available for the overall numbers in poverty is at Government office region level. Therefore, information is not available for (a) the city of Coventry or (b) Coventry North East constituency, but is available for (c) the West Midlands Government Office Region and (d) England.
	Three-year averages are used to report regional statistics as single-year estimates are subject to volatility.
	The latest year of data which are available is 2010-11. The following table shows the number of pensioners living in households in the west midlands and England with income below 60% of contemporary median income, after housing costs, for three-year periods spanning 2006-07 to 2010-11, which is the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			 Number of pensioners in the west midlands and England in relative low income, after housing costs 
			 Three year period Number of pensioners living with income below 60% of contemporary median, after housing costs (million) 
			  West midlands England 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 0.2 1.7 
			 2007-08 to 2009-10 0.2 1.6 
			 2008-09 to 2010-11 0.2 1.5 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Longer time series and before housing costs data on pensioners is available within chapter 6 of the Households Below Average Income report at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai_arc 3. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax, payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 4. Figures have been presented on an after housing cost basis. For after housing costs, housing costs are deducted from income. 5. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 6. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 7. Numbers of pensioners have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand pensioners. 
		
	
	The Government want all pensioners to have a decent and secure income in retirement. We have restored the earnings link for the basic state pension and given a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, price increases (as measured by the consumer prices index) or 2.5%. As a result, we estimate that an average person retiring in 2012-13 will receive £15,000 more in basic state pension income over their retirement than under the old prices link.
	We are protecting support for older people such as:
	winter fuel payments;
	free bus passes;
	free television licences for those aged 75 and over;
	free eye tests; and
	free NHS prescription charges.
	We have permanently increased the cold weather payment from £8.50 to £25.
	The Government are also introducing automatic enrolment into workplace pensions. Starting from 2012 all employers beginning with the largest will be required to enrol all workers eligible for automatic enrolment into a qualifying workplace pension scheme and make a minimum contribution. This is a central element of our strategy to reinvigorate private pension saving and aims to harness inertia and bring about a change in peoples' behaviour in saving for retirement. We expect this to lead to between five million and eight million people newly saving or saving more in all forms of workplace pension schemes. Along with our proposals for reform to the state pension, this is a key element in our strategy to prevent pensioner poverty from arising for future generations.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget, on 21 March 2012, that the Government will reform the state pensions system to introduce a single tier pension for future pensioners. These reforms will usher in a simpler and fairer system that reduces the need for means testing and rewards saving. The Government will publish further information about the proposed reforms in a White Paper later in the year.

Pensions: Females

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to promote the importance of adequate pensions saving to women; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Automatic enrolment will help millions of workers save for their retirement. We estimate 3-4 million women will be eligible, with 2-3 million newly saving or saving more. To support automatic enrolment, we are running an awareness campaign with supporting information that emphasises the importance of saving for retirement and outlines the benefits of saving in a workplace pension. This targets women via the use of appropriate media channels and by working in partnership with trusted brands.
	We have also confirmed that we will introduce a simpler, single tier pension for future pensioners set above the basic level of the means test to better support saving for retirement. A flat-rate single tier pension will deliver improved state pensions for groups such as women and the self employed. Further detail will be provided in a White Paper later this year.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what progress his Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget that can be re-prioritised; what steps he has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of his Department’s resource budget he has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation.

Chris Grayling: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in “Improving spending control”, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, what discussions he has had with his Department’s agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation.

Chris Grayling: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in “Improving spending control”, available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an ongoing basis.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies; when he will make public the areas of his Department's resource budget he has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when he plans to report to the Work and Pension select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Chris Grayling: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in “Improving Spending Control”,
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control_pdf

Expenditure: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of his Department's total spending in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The total amount spent by the Department in Scotland on benefits in 2010-11 was £13.1 billion. This compares to £139.8 billion in the rest of Great Britain and £152.9 billion in Great Britain overall.
	This equates to £2,620 per person in Scotland. This compares to £2,521 in the rest of Great Britain and £2,529 in Great Britain overall. Spending per head (capita) in Scotland is 3.9% above spending per head for the rest of Great Britain.

Social Security Benefits: Gwent

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Islwyn constituency will be eligible for fewer benefits after the introduction of the benefit cap in April 2013.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available for Islwyn constituency.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total number of people in receipt of each benefit in Scotland.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on the total number of people in receipt of each benefit in Scotland are available on the Department's website at
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Staff: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people employed by his Department in Scotland.

Chris Grayling: On 31 March 2012, the Department for Work and Pensions employed 10,344 people (9,294 full-time equivalent staff) in Scotland.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to ensure that one-off bonus and overtime payments are not assumed in the calculation of universal credit to be regular salary payments for the following months until the end of the tax year.

Chris Grayling: Unlike the current system, we want to avoid complicated rules regarding averaging and attribution wherever possible. For these reasons, earnings will usually be based on the actual amounts received in an assessment period.
	Earnings taken into account will be net of tax and national insurance when determining the level of universal credit award. We will also deduct 100% of contributions to occupational and personal pensions.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2012, Official Report, columns 473-44W, on universal credit, how much of his 2013-14 budget he plans to spend on (a) additional benefit spending, (b) additional benefit administration, (c) IT development and implementation, (d) communications, (e) staff training, (f) programme management, (g) transitional protection, (h) additional child care support, (i) implementation planning and (j) other items.

Chris Grayling: Based on current plans the universal credit programme is forecasting potential expenditure of up to £0.6 billion in 2013-14.
	IT, development and implementation costs have been forecast as £401 million.
	As detailed policy design is still in development it is not possible to provide a further breakdown of this estimate at this stage.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2012, Official Report, columns 473-74W, on universal credit, how much of his 2014-15 budget he plans to spend on (a) additional benefit spending, (b) additional benefit administration, (c) IT development and implementation, (d) communications, (e) staff training, (f) programme management, (g) transitional protection, (h) additional childcare support, (i) implementation planning and (j) other items.

Chris Grayling: Based on current plans the universal credit programme is forecasting potential expenditure of up to £1.0 billion in 2014-15.
	IT, developmental and implementation costs have been forecast as £317 million.
	As detailed policy design is still in development it is not possible to provide a further breakdown of this estimate at this stage.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2012, Official Report, columns 473-74W, on universal credit, how much of his 2012-13 budget he plans to spend on (a) IT development and implementation, (b) communications, (c) staff training, (d) programme management, (e) implementation planning and (f) other items.

Chris Grayling: The following table provides forecast expenditure for the full year 2012-13, based on current plans/estimates. These forecasts are subject to monthly review and will be updated as commercial arrangements are finalised.
	
		
			 Full year forecast up to end March 2013 
			 Expenditure type £ million 
			 IT Development Costs 242.34 
			 Staff 70.11 
			 Travel 1.51 
			 Accommodation and Estates 0.03 
			 Office Services and expenses 0.03 
			 Consultancy and Professional services 2.76 
			 General Office expenses 18.38 
			 IS/IT Application Development Resource 51.58 
			 Postage and Courier 0.02 
			 Non cash depreciation 3.69 
			 Total 390.44 
			 Notes: 1. IT expenditure is predominantly related to the ongoing design/build and test of the UC core solution and dependant system changes. 2. Staff costs reflect both staff directly and indirectly engaged in preparing for the implementation and delivery of universal credit ahead of the pathfinder from April 2013.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2012, Official Report, column 227W, on work capability assessment independent review, if he will publish correspondence between his Department and Professor Malcolm Harrington in relation to his stepping down from the role of independent reviewer of the work capability assessment.

Chris Grayling: Professor Harrington was commissioned to undertake a third and final review of the work capability assessment in November 2011. This was with the expectation that he would publish his final report before the end of 2012.
	There is no correspondence between the Department and Professor Harrington regarding him “stepping down from the role of independent reviewer of the work capability assessment.”
	The Government's response to Professor Harrington's second independent review
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wca-review-2011-response.pdf
	made it clear that 2012 would be his third and final review. We are extremely grateful to Professor Harrington for the work he has done to date, and look forward to receiving his third review.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2012, Official Report, column 226W, on work capability assessment, to which (a) benefit delivery centres and (b) Atos Healthcare centres Professor Malcolm Harrington made unannounced visits in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011.

Chris Grayling: During 2010-11, Professor Malcolm Harrington made two unannounced visits to benefit centres at Gloucester and Merthyr Tydfil as outlined in his second independent review (pp. 24-25). During 2010, Professor Harrington made unannounced visits to Atos Medical Assessment Centres (MACs) in Balham and Bristol. I can confirm that he made no unannounced visits to Atos MACs during 2011.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 May 2012, Official Report, column 227W, on work capability assessment, when a successor to Professor Malcolm Harrington will be appointed; what the selection criteria will be for appointing a replacement to Professor Harrington; whether the replacement of Professor Harrington will be appointed by the Secretary of State; whether the post being vacated by Professor Harrington will be publicly advertised; and what the job specification will be for the role being vacated by Professor Harrington.

Chris Grayling: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is aiming to appoint a successor to Professor Malcolm Harrington to undertake the fourth independent review of the work capability assessment before the fourth review commences in 2013.
	The Department is currently considering its options for the recruitment of Professor Harrington's successor and their terms of reference.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, columns 654-55W, on employment and support allowance: work capability assessment, what the average time taken for an employment and support allowance applicant was between completing the ESA 50 questionnaire and the work capability assessment in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012.

Chris Grayling: As reported in the previous answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, columns 654-55W, the changes introduced on the recommendation of Professor Harrington, although improving the overall process, have had the impact of increasing the time taken to complete face to face medical assessments. Considerable time and effort has gone into training Atos Healthcare professionals to deliver the changes introduced.
	There are continuing large volumes of cases going through the medical assessment journey. DWP and Atos Healthcare are working very closely to reduce the length of the WCA process by improving capacity and productivity.
	Average time for WCA customer journey (from time of receipt of ESA 50 to clearance by Atos Healthcare):
	2011 (July to December only—following the reduction from 11 to seven Government offices by region)—53.2 working days.
	Information for 2011 up to and including June was previously provided in the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, columns 654-55W.
	2012 (January to May inclusive)—64.4 working days.
	The data supplied are derived from unpublished management information which was collated for internal departmental use only. The data supplied have not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics standard and are subject to change. They should therefore be treated with caution.
	The average time has been calculated using the Atos Healthcare management information relating to the average time to undertake a work capability assessment as reported against their average actual clearance target of 35 days.
	The average time is officially calculated using the number of working days between a claimant completing the ESA questionnaire and their work capability assessment and measured at a regional level rather than nationally and reported monthly—so in effect the figures provided above are an average of an average of an average.
	The measurement of the time taken to complete the customer journey through to the assessment is heavily reliant on the date on which the claimant returns their questionnaire. A significant number of claimants return their questionnaires after 25 days.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 666W, on work capability assessment, how many people waited longer than 13 weeks for a work capability assessment in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012.

Chris Grayling: Information on assessments in December 2011 and in 2012 to date is not available.
	Information on assessments between January and November 2011 has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether to include these statistics in part of an upcoming statistics release in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 426W, on work capability assessment, how many people have been waiting longer than 13 weeks for a work capability assessment since completing the ESA 50 questionnaire.

Chris Grayling: There are currently 20,759 ESA initial referrals open and awaiting an assessment that are in excess of 13 weeks from the date that the questionnaire was returned.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have lodged an appeal to a work capability assessment decision but have yet to receive a hearing.

Chris Grayling: The requested information is not available.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 667W, on work capability assessment: Parkinson's disease, how many people with (a) Parkinson's disease, (b) multiple sclerosis, (c) cancer and (d) dementia have had a work capability assessment since October 2008.

Chris Grayling: In September 2011, the Department published the outcomes of work capability assessments, after the effect of appeals, broken down by medical condition. The table can be found at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2011/110906_wcaresultsbycondition_clean.xls

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2012, Official Report, column 226W, on work capability assessment, what the outcome has been of the monthly monitoring of the targets set for Atos as part of the overall employment and support allowance customer journey of 91 days and performance.

Chris Grayling: The performance targets used to monitor the Atos Healthcare performance are set out in Schedule 5 (Service Levels) of the Medical Services contract. An edited copy of the document (DEP2010—1704) is available in the House of Lords library and can be accessed from the following link:
	http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/business-papers/commons/deposited-papers/?max=100&page=3&y= 2010&house=2&sort=1&sortasc=False#toggle-1704
	The official statistics on ‘Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessments’ can be accessed on the DWP website from the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
	The DWP contractual agreement with Atos Healthcare contains performance service levels (including customer service targets) which contain financial remedies where there is service level failure, based on pre estimate of loss to the Department. The contractual performance of Atos Healthcare is monitored closely by DWP.
	The imposition of financial remedies is a matter between the Department for Work and Pensions and its supplier Atos Healthcare and as such is commercial in confidence.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 655W, on employment and support allowance: work capability assessment, what the average time of the work capability assessment customer journey was in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: Information on assessments in December 2011 and in 2012 to date is not available. Information on assessments between January and November 2011 has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether to include these statistics in part of an upcoming statistics release in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 439W, on work capability assessment: appeals, what the cost to his Department was of appeals made to the work capability assessment in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date.

Chris Grayling: The cost to the Department for work capability assessment appeals in financial year 2010-11 was £12,076,455.
	The cost to the Department for work capability assessment appeals in financial year 2011-12 was £15,410,571.

JUSTICE

Child Abuse

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to change the sentencing options for criminal neglect of children to ensure that what happens to neglectful parents is in the best interests of the child.

Crispin Blunt: The Government have no plans to bring forward legislation in relation to sentencing for child neglect. The courts have the full range of sentencing options available to them when sentencing for child neglect and will take into account the best interests of the child when determining the appropriate sentence. The sentencing guideline. “Overarching Principles: Assaults on children and Cruelty to a child”, makes clear that the court must strike a balance between the need to reflect the serious view which society takes of the ill-treatment of very young children and the need to protect those children, and also the pressures upon immature and inadequate parents attempting to cope with the problems of infancy. In deciding the appropriate sentence in each case, the judge or magistrate must consider the seriousness of the offence and have regard to the purposes of sentencing, which include rehabilitation as well as punishment and public protection. In considering whether a custodial sentence is appropriate, any adverse effects that the sentence could have on the victim are taken into account, including all available information concerning the future care of the child, particularly if the offender is the sole or primary carer of the victim or other dependants.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many complaints were received by HM Courts and Tribunals Service concerning waiting times for appeals tribunals in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average waiting time for an appeal tribunal hearing in HM Courts and Tribunals Service was in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what steps HM Courts and Tribunals Service intend to take to tackle backlogs in appeals tribunals.

Jonathan Djanogly: These questions have been interpreted as relating to the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS).
	A unified administrative complaints procedure for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) was launched in October 2011. HMCTS has received 88 complaints concerning waiting times for the SSCS Tribunal in the period October 2011 to March 2012, the latest date for which information is available (these data are taken from management information). Over the same period HMCTS disposed of 214,200 SSCS appeals.
	In the period January to March 2012 (the most recent period for which statistics have been published) the average waiting time for an SSCS Tribunal hearing was 23.2 weeks, down from 23.9 weeks in the period July to September 2011.
	HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received by the SSCS Tribunal. It is working hard to increase the capacity of the SSCS Tribunal and reduce waiting times. It has implemented a range of measures which include recruiting more judges and medical panel members; increasing administrative resources and streamlining processes; securing additional hearing venues across the country; increasing the number of cases listed in each Tribunal session; running double shifts in its largest processing centre; running Saturday sittings in some of the busiest venues; reviewing all information for appellants to ensure that it is as clear and comprehensive as possible, and setting up a customer contact centre to deal with telephone inquiries.
	All of this is having a positive effect. The total number of disposals has increased significantly from 279,000 in 2009-10 to 380,000 in 2010-11 and 433,600 appeals in 2011-12, with the capacity for half a million disposals in 2012-13. Perhaps most notably, the Tribunal disposed of more appeals than it received in every month between January 2011 and February 2012 (14 consecutive months) and the caseload outstanding fell by 25% in 2011-12 to reach 145,000 on 31 March 2012. The average waiting time has stabilised nationally, and is beginning to fall across many venues.
	Work is ongoing to increase the Tribunal's capacity further, including the recruitment of additional judges and medical members; review and continuous improvement of administrative processes both internally and between HMCTS and the Department for Work and Pensions; including implementation of Section 102 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 which creates the opportunity for additional improvements to business processes.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 31 January 2012, Official Report, column 624W, on work capability assessments, appeals, how many staff were employed by the Tribunal Service to deal with appeals to the work capability assessment in each month in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	It is not possible to identify how many staff deal specifically with ESA appeals. The following table shows the number of administrative staff employed in relation to the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal as at the end of each month between January 2011 and May 2012 (the latest date for which figures have been published). The tribunal hears appeals on a range of benefits, of which ESA is one.
	Of the 988 staff in post as at 31 May 2012, 807 were permanent staff and 181 staff were on fixed term contracts.
	
		
			 Social Security and Child Support Tribunal staff numbers January 2011-May 2012 
			  Number of Staff(1) 
			 January 2011 958 
			 February 2011 958 
			 March 2011 984 
			 April 2011 1,013 
			 May 2011 1,029 
			 June 2011 1,030 
			 July 2011 1,045 
			 August 2011 1,061 
			 September 2011 1,074 
			 October 2011 1,019 
			 November 2011 1,014 
			 December 2011 1,010 
			 January 2012 1,002 
			 February 2012 996 
			 March 2012 1,010 
			 April 2012 996 
			 May 2012 988 
			 (1) The data are taken from management information. The figures quoted refer to the total number of people employed and includes those who work part-time or on a full-time basis and on temporary or fixed-term contacts. Some of the staff included may work in multi-jurisdiction a I centres dealing with other work as well as social security and child support appeals. 
		
	
	The Social Security and Child Support Tribunal disposed of 433,600 appeals in 2011-12. This is a 14% increase when compared to 2010-11 (380,200).

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 13 December 2011, Official Report, column 724W, on Tribunals Service: work capability assessment, which tribunal centres (a) currently operate a six-day week to hear appeals against the work capability assessment (WCA), (b) are planning to operate a six-day week to hear appeals against the WCA, (c) currently operate a seven-day week to hear appeals against the WCA and (d) are planning to operate a six-day week to hear appeals against the WCA.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	HMCTS has continued to respond strongly to the significant increase in appeal cases received by the First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS). It is working hard to increase the capacity of the SSCS Tribunal and reduce waiting times. The SSCS Tribunal disposed of 433,600 appeals in 2011-12. This is a 14% increase in output when compared to 2010-11 (380,200) and 56% more than 2009-10 (279,300).
	All SSCS hearing venues hear appeals on the range of benefit types, including ESA. Saturday sittings are used on a flexible basis in a number of hearing venues to meet particular increases in demand for hearings. Appellants are asked whether they are willing to attend a hearing on a Saturday before their case is listed and the hearing will proceed exactly as it would on a weekday.
	The following hearing venues are currently running Saturday sittings: Sutton, Bexleyheath, London (Fox Court), Cardiff, Leeds, Enfield, Basildon, Bedford and Derby.
	The Newcastle and Darlington hearing venues will run sittings on Saturdays from July 2012.
	Saturday sittings have previously been held in Wrexham, Langstone, Plymouth, Dundee, Hamilton, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Nottingham and Liverpool.
	There are currently no sittings held on a Sunday and there are no current plans to extend sittings to seven days a week.

TRANSPORT

Air Traffic

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers she has to make air traffic distribution rules at UK airports.

Theresa Villiers: The application of air traffic distribution rules (TDRs) is governed by European law. Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community states that:
	“A Member State, after consultation with interested parties including the air carriers and airports concerned, may regulate, without discrimination among destinations inside the Community or on grounds of nationality or identity of air carriers, the distribution of air traffic between airports satisfying the following conditions:
	the airports serve the same city or conurbation;
	the airports are served by adequate transport infrastructure [...];
	the airports are linked to one another and to the city or conurbation they serve by frequent, reliable and efficient public transport services; and
	the airports offer necessary services to air carriers, and do not unduly prejudice their commercial opportunities.
	Any decision to regulate the distribution of air traffic between the airports concerned shall respect the principles of proportionality and transparency, and shall be based on objective criteria.”
	Under Article 21 (1008/2008), all TDRs must be approved by the Commission before implementation. Following submission of TDR proposals to the Commission, they have six months to determine whether the TDRs proposed are compatible with EU law.
	Section 31 of the Airports Act 1986 provides the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), with powers to introduce TDRs relating to airports in the UK, provided that they comply with EU law. Prior to the introduction of such TDRs, the Secretary of State must consult the CAA who in turn must consult the aviation industry.

Aviation: EU Action

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposed new EU regulation on the allocation of slots at EU airports would require airlines to include in their published accounts the market value of the slots that they hold.

Theresa Villiers: The European Commission's proposal to recast the EU regulation on the common rules for the allocation of slots at EU airports does not include such a requirement.

BMI Airline

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the (a) Civil Aviation Authority and (b) Office of Fair Trading on the sale of British Midland International; and who she (i) met and (ii) spoke to on each such occasion;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the European Commissioner for (a) Transport and (b) Competition in the last six months on the sale of British Midland International;
	(3)  what discussions she has had with (a) International Airlines Group, (b) British Airways, (c) Virgin Atlantic and (d) Lufthansa on the sale of British Midland International; and who she (i) met and (ii) spoke to on each such occasion;
	(4)  what discussions her officials have had on the sale of British Midland International; and who they (a) met and (b) spoke to on each such occasion;
	(5)  what discussions she has had on the sale of British Midland International; and who she (a) met and (b) spoke to on each such occasion.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not had any discussions with the Civil Aviation Authority, the Office of Fair Trading, International Airline Group, or Lufthansa regarding the sale of British Midland International.
	The Secretary of State had formal introductory meetings with the chief executives of Virgin Atlantic Airways and British Airways on 30 January and 1 February respectively, during which the proposed sale of BMI was briefly mentioned. In addition the Secretary of State spoke to the chief executive of British Airways several times in March to gain a factual appreciation of developments regarding the sale of BMI.
	The Secretary of State had two telephone conversations with the European Competition Commissioner on 27 and 28 March, to make him aware of the UK Government's concerns about the implications of BMI becoming insolvent.
	Department for Transport officials took part in a telephone call with European Commission competition authority officials, at their request, in February to provide the Commission with factual information about bilateral air services agreements covering certain routes, as part of the Commission's evidence-gathering for its consideration of the proposed sale of BMI.
	Department for Transport officials have had various meetings and discussions with British Airways, International Airlines Group and Virgin Atlantic, both before and after the sale of BMI, at which the sale of BMI and its implications were discussed.
	Department for Transport officials also had telephone discussions with Office of Fair Trading officials during February 2012 to confirm details of the latter's process for referring the proposed sale to the European Commission competition authority.

Cable Cars

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on plans for further cable cars to be built over the Thames.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has had no discussions with the Mayor on plans for further cable cars to be built over the Thames.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of proposed closures of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices on rural areas.

Michael Penning: An impact assessment has been completed which considers the effect of the proposed closures. Under the DVLA's new “Front Office Counter Services” contract, services will be provided by between 4,000 and 6,000 local outlets and will offer more localised face to face services in comparison to the current 39 local offices. This will benefit motorists in rural areas who will no longer have to travel as far to transact with the DVLA. The plans will also ensure that more DVLA services will be delivered electronically or by telephone, allowing motorists to transact with the DVLA at their convenience.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to announce the timetable for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency office closures.

Michael Penning: The timetable outlining the proposed closure of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency local office closure was announced on 4 July and was included in the outline business case. The proposed timetable for closure is as follows:
	31 October 2013—Aberdeen, Bournemouth, Brighton, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Lincoln, Norwich, Oxford, Sheffield, Shrewsbury, Stockton, Swansea.
	30 November 2012—Bangor, Beverley, Chester, Dundee, Exeter, Inverness, Maidstone, Peterborough, Sidcup, Theale, Truro, Worcester.
	31 December 2013—Birmingham, Borehamwood, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Northampton, Portsmouth, Preston, Wimbledon.
	The work of the regional enforcement centres, which are co-located with 10 local offices, will be centralised at the DVLA’s headquarters in Swansea by 31 March 2013. Staffing levels will be kept under review throughout the transition period and the viability of each office will be reviewed on a regular basis. As a result, the closure plan may be subject to change.

Driving Under Influence: Drugs

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to hold a public consultation on the findings of the Expert Panel on Drug Driving; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Yes, I do plan to hold a consultation about the findings of the expert panel.
	Indeed there is a requirement in the clause on the new specific drug driving offence for there to be consultation about which controlled drugs would be specified in the new offence and what the specified limits for them would be.
	The regulations specifying controlled drugs and limits for the new offence would be subject to the affirmative procedure.

Driving: Licensing

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to ensure compliance with European Commission Directives 2009/113/EC and 2006/126/EC regarding eyesight requirements for licensing group 1 and group 2 drivers; and whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to ensure such compliance.

Michael Penning: Following a public consultation on the European Commission's proposals to amend the eyesight standards, legislative changes are now being introduced. These changes will be introduced as soon as the parliamentary process allows and we hope to have them in place by early autumn.
	In the meantime administrative arrangements have been put in place to ensure that all driving licence applicants meet the minimum acuity standards required by the directives.

Fuels: Rural Areas

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to mitigate the effect of filling station closures on the availability of fuel for people in rural areas;
	(2)  if she will take steps to help people living in rural areas which are up to 30 miles away from the nearest forecourt or petrol station to have easier access to fuel;
	(3)  if she will take steps to subsidise fuel costs for those on low incomes in rural areas.

Michael Penning: My ministerial colleagues in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published in March a summary of actions taken by the Government on ‘The Cost of Fuel in Rural Areas’, including availability, which is available on DEFRA's website:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13741-fuel-cost-rural.pdf
	Since then the Government has announced that the planned 3p rise in August 2012 will be postponed.
	In addition, the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), and the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), have jointly written to the fuel retail industry inviting them to bring forward proposals on transparent pricing.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of geographical inequalities in the cost of car insurance; and what steps she is taking to address such inequalities.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has not made a recent assessment of the geographical inequalities in the cost of motor insurance. Insurers use their claims experience to assess risk and while location is a factor, other factors such as the driver's age and driving record will also influence premiums.
	The Government is determined to tackle the rising cost of motor insurance. On 2 May 2012 the Secretary of State hosted a cross-Government summit with the insurance industry on measures to reduce the rising cost of premiums.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will list any occasions since May 2010 on which her Parliamentary Private Secretary has travelled overseas with her or on her behalf.

Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, there have been no such occasions.

Pedestrian Crossings: Schools

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is her policy that there has to be a fatality before road crossing measures are implemented outside schools.

Norman Baker: No. It is for individual local highway authorities to determine whether or not a pedestrian crossing is necessary, taking into account local factors which they are best placed to judge. The Department for Transport provides guidance on assessing the need for pedestrian crossings and for their design, through Local Transport Notes 1/95 and 2/95.

Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the speech by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury of 23 April 2012 at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, 
	(1)  what progress her Department has made on identifying a proportion of its resource budget that can be re-prioritised; what steps she has taken to identify such funds; and which parts of her Department's resource budget she has identified as suitable for re-prioritisation;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with her Department's agencies and the non-departmental bodies for which she is responsible on the contribution they will make to identifying resource budget for possible re-prioritisation;
	(3)  when she will make public the areas of her Department's resource budget she has identified for possible re-prioritisation; and when she plans to report to the Transport Select Committee on the outcome of this exercise.

Norman Baker: The Department is working with the Treasury to agree contingency plans as set out in “Improving Spending Control”
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/improving_spending_control.pdf
	Plans and options for reprioritisation will not be published. They should be “live” plans that are reassessed and updated on an on-going basis.

Railways

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory requirements exist for public consultation in respect of (i) ticket offices, (ii) timetable changes, (iii) service levels, (iv) line closures, (v) station closures, (vi) staffing levels, (vii) safety and (viii) enhancements on the railways.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 26 June 2012
	The information is as follows:
	(a) For ticket offices, consultation requirements are non-statutory and are set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA). These requirements cover proposals on ticket office opening hours falling into the “major changes” category defined in the TSA. The TSA is owned and maintained by the Association of Train Operating Companies, and is available from its website at
	http://www.atoc.org/about-atoc/rail-settlement-plan/governance
	There are no public consultation requirements in respect of proposals that fall into the category of “minor changes”.
	(b) Franchised passenger operators are required by their franchise contracts to consult on the details of timetable changes according to specified time scales—usually four weeks.
	(c) Franchise agreements provide that the Secretary of State for Transport may stipulate any reasonable procedural arrangements and timescales with regard to train operator proposals to permanently amend the service specification. Generally, the Secretary of State has required franchised train operators to comply with the Government's adopted Code of Practice on consultations, whereby a minimum 12 week consultation period should be undertaken by the promoting body with appropriate stakeholders. These include Passenger Focus, London TravelWatch and local authorities with responsibility for transport (usually county councils, metropolitan boroughs or unitary authorities).
	(d) As regards changes to service levels which involve the ceasing of all passenger services on a line, line closures, and station closures, statutory requirements for consultation are set out by statute in schedule 7 of the Railways Act 2005 which is available from the Government website.
	http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/14/pdfs/ukpga_20050014_en.pdf
	(e) There are no statutory or non-statutory consultation requirements in relation to the staffing of rail stations, other than those referred to above for ticket offices, and those contained in the general law on employment.
	(f) The Office of Rail Regulation is responsible for safety issues in the rail industry.
	(g) The Government sets out its requirements for rail outputs and enhancements in its High Level Output Specification (HLOS) which covers a five year regulatory control period. The HLOS is accompanied by a statement of funds available to the rail industry to deliver those requirements. The choice of schemes needed to deliver those requirements is made as part of an industry process, overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). The ORR carries out a number of focussed consultations around its proposed approach, funding structures and the outputs to be delivered. Its process and arrangements for consultation can be found at
	www.rail-reg.gov.uk
	(h) Enhancements to the rail network which involve changes to the contractual arrangements for station and/or track access under section 22 of the Railway Act 1993 require consultation with all relevant industry bodies, any relevant Passenger Transport Executive(s), relevant devolved bodies, as well as Passenger Focus and (where appropriate) London TravelWatch.
	(i) Rail enhancements which require planning permission are subject to the consultation requirements contained in general planning law.

Roads: Accidents

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many cyclists were (a) killed and (b) injured on the roads in each police force area in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many pedestrians were (a) killed and (b) injured in road accidents in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Penning: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Roads: Accidents

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many pedestrians were (a) killed and (b) injured in collisions with cyclists in each police force area in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many cyclists were (a) killed and (b) injured in collisions with pedestrians in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Penning: The information requested has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Figures for cyclists who were injured or killed after a road collision involving a pedestrian are included only for cases where the pedestrian was also injured in the accident. It is not possible to identify pedestrian involvement in collisions where only the cyclist was injured.

Roads: Accidents

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many cyclists were (a) killed and (b) injured contravening red lights in each police force area in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many pedestrians have been (a) killed and (b) injured by cyclists contravening red lights in each police force area in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.

Roads: Accidents

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of people killed (a) by cars and (b) in road accidents between 2010 and 2011.

Michael Penning: The number of people killed as a result of a collision involving a car rose by 7% in Great Britain, from 1,117 in 2010 to 1,196 in 2011. Numbers of people killed in a road accident rose by 3% in Great Britain, from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,901 in 2011.
	Since 2003, deaths in road accidents have fallen steadily, and 2010 saw the highest ever fall (17%) in a single year. Despite the increase in fatalities in 2011 the annual total is below that of 2009, and is indeed the second lowest figure since the end of the First World War.
	There are a number of factors that may have contributed to the year-on-year increase in road fatalities from 2010 to 2011. However, there is evidence that extreme winter weather conditions tend to reduce the number of road fatalities, as there is much less traffic than usual and those motorists who do venture out tend to drive more slowly and cautiously.
	In this context it is particularly notable that there were two separate periods of sustained snow and ice across many areas of Great Britain during 2010 (one at the beginning of the year, one at the end), but no such periods on a comparable scale during 2011. This year-on-year difference would be expected to lead to a higher number of fatalities in the winter months of 2011 than in the winter months of 2010, holding all other factors equal.
	The statistics bear this out: during the four winter months of 2011 (January, February, November and December) there were 81 more road fatalities than in the same months of 2010. During the remaining eight months of the year (March to October inclusive), which were not affected by extreme winter weather, there were 30 fewer fatalities in 2011 than in 2010.

Tonnage Tax

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of (a) onboard, (b) port-based and (c) other onshore jobs which have been created in the domestic maritime sector as a result of the introduction of the tonnage tax in each year since 2000-01. [R]

Michael Penning: No such estimate has been made. The availability of tonnage tax as an optional taxation regime for shipping companies is helping to maintain the competitiveness of the UK maritime sector, which is essential to job creation.

Tonnage Tax

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) UK and (b) non-UK seafarers were employed on vessels in the tonnage tax scheme in each year since 2002-03; and what estimate she has made of the likely number in each such category in 2011-12. [R]

Michael Penning: The number of seafarers employed, as reported to us by companies and groups for each tonnage tax training commitment year, are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  UK Non-UK 
			 2002-03 5,191 6,506 
			 2003-04 3,866 6,867 
			 2004-05 4,891 8,617 
		
	
	
		
			 2005-06 4,473 10,314 
			 2006-07 5,028 11,492 
			 2007-08 5,432 12,742 
			 2008-09 5,574 13,166 
			 2009-10 4,607 12,268 
			 2010-11 4,931 13,587 
			 2011-12 4,596 15,031

Tonnage Tax

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many journeys by vessels in the tonnage tax were (a) between UK ports, (b) one port voyages, (c) to the UK from an international port and (d) from the UK to an international port in each year since the scheme’s inception; [R]
	(2)  what proportion of the UK’s (a) imports and (b) exports in each year since 2000-01 were undertaken by vessels in the tonnage tax. [R]

Michael Penning: The Department does not hold this information.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to answer question 111043 tabled by the hon. Member for South Northamptonshire on 8 June 2012 for answer on 13 June 2012.

Justine Greening: I will respond before the summer recess.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour

Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to empower local communities to tackle alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.

Lynne Featherstone: Together, the Government's alcohol strategy, published in March, and the White Paper on antisocial behaviour, which was laid before Parliament in May, will provide communities with powerful new tools to tackle alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.

Antisocial Behaviour

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to promote collaboration between voluntary organisations and the police to tackle antisocial behaviour.

James Brokenshire: Antisocial behaviour is a problem that needs a local solution, and in many areas voluntary organisations play an important role alongside the police and their local partners. The Home Office looks to highlight examples where collaboration is working well, and from November police and crime commissioners will be able to fund voluntary organisations directly to tackle local priorities.

Cleveland Police

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of the current investigation into Cleveland police.

Nick Herbert: The costs of the investigation for 2011-12 were £1.6 million. I have approved the payment of a special grant to Cleveland police to cover this cost. The provisional estimate of the investigation costs for 2012-13 is £2.2 million.

Deportations (Human Rights Legislation)

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that foreign criminals are not able to use human rights legislation to avoid removal.

Theresa May: The Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules that I laid before the House on 13 June has come into effect today. This introduces clear new rules to protect the public from foreign criminals who try to hide behind family life as a reason to stay here. For the most serious offenders, only in exceptional cases will the public interest in deportation be outweighed by other factors.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many antisocial behaviour orders on application have been issued in (a) England and Wales, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) Ashfield constituency in the last three years;
	(2)  how many antisocial behaviour orders on conviction have been issued in (a) England and Wales, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) Ashfield constituency in the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued in England and Wales, and in the Nottinghamshire criminal justice system (CJS) area, on application and following conviction in 2009 and 2010 (the latest year for which data are currently available), are shown in the following table. Data collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the number of ASBOs issued are not available at parliamentary constituency level. ASBO data for 2011 are planned for publication in October 2012.
	
		
			 Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued at all courts, as reported to the Ministry of Justice(1) by the Court Service, made on application(2) and issued following conviction(3), in the Nottinghamshire criminal justice system (CJS) area and England and Wales, 2009-10 
			  2009 2010 
			 Area On application On conviction On application On conviction 
			 Nottinghamshire 15 29 10 31 
		
	
	
		
			 England and Wales 698 973 696 968 
			 (1) Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, the number of ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service. (2) Comprises ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts, which became available on 1 April 1999. (3) Comprises ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence at the Crown court and at magistrates courts (acting in their criminal capacity), which the Police Reform Act 2002 made available from 2 December 2002. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Prepared by Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice.

Antisocial Behaviour: Alcoholic Drinks

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to tackle alcohol-related antisocial behaviour.

James Brokenshire: Through the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act, the Government have already given significant powers to local communities to tackle alcohol-related antisocial behaviour. We have set out further proposals to tackle the harms caused by alcohol misuse in the Government's Alcohol Strategy, which was published on 23 March 2012. The White Paper on antisocial behaviour, laid before Parliament in May, set out further proposals to give communities the power to ensure that action is taken to deal with persistent antisocial behaviour.

British Nationality: Assessments

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 48, on family migration, whether applicants who successfully meet the English language requirements and pass the Life in the UK test prior to 9 July 2012, but who experience delays on the part of the awarding organisations with the issuing of the necessary certification, will be admitted under the rules in place prior to 9 July 2012 if the certification is not received until after that date.

Damian Green: Applicants for limited leave to enter or remain in the UK as a spouse or partner must provide evidence that they have attained the relevant language qualification. If there is a delay in receiving a certificate, UK Border Agency may be able to accept a transcript from the exam board. However, if it cannot be established that the person has met the relevant requirement, the application cannot be granted. Applications received on or after 9 July will be dealt with under the new family migration rules described in the statement of 11 June.
	Changes to the Life in the UK Test, which is required for those seeking indefinite leave to remain in the UK, will not take place until later this year. From October 2013, applicants for indefinite leave will be required to pass the revised Life in the UK test and obtain an intermediate level speaking and listening qualification in English (i.e. at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Databases: Telecommunications

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, column 865W, on databases: telecommunications, what the names are of all the telecommunication companies and representative trade associations which have been involved in discussions with the cross-Government Communication Capabilities Development programme since its inception.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 2 July 2012
	We have had discussions with the following trade associations: the Internet Service Providers Association, the Internet Telephony Service Providers Association and the London Internet Exchange.
	Effective engagement with industry is central to the CCD programme; we have regular discussions with a number of companies. Revealing exactly which companies have been involved in discussions can reveal and compromise the operational capabilities that we develop in partnership with the industry. In order to maintain our ability to protect the public, we do not disclose the companies we are in discussion with.

Deportation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who had their visas revoked and were scheduled for deportation in each of the last five years have not been deported.

Damian Green: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard reports.
	The Home Office publishes immigration statistics on a quarterly and annual basis, a copy of which can be found in the Library of the House. The latest published statistics on removals can also be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q1-2012/

Detention Centres

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department uses a risk-based assessment in respect of detention at immigration removal centres; and if she will publish any assessment criteria used.

Damian Green: Decisions to detain are taken on an individual basis in the light of all relevant circumstances known. The factors which should be considered and the guidance available to assist UK Border Agency officers in reaching these decisions are published in Chapter 55 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance, available at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/enforcement/detentionandremovals/chapter55.pdf?view=Binary

Detention Centres

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will set a maximum period for detention at immigration removal centres.

Damian Green: There are no plans to set a maximum period for detention at immigration removal centres.

Drugs: Misuse

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what recent representations she has received on the legal high Benzo Fury (6-APB);
	(2)  what advice she has received from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the legal high Benzo Fury (6-APB);
	(3)  whether she plans to use the powers contained in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (Amendment) Order 2012 to ban the legal high Benzo Fury (6-APB).

James Brokenshire: ‘Benzo Fury' is a brand name product currently advertised as a “legal high” in the UK. In those ‘Benzo Fury' products analysed under the Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS), a number of Class B controlled drugs have been identified as well as 5-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (5-APB) and 6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (6-APB).
	We are monitoring ‘Benzo Fury' and its contents through our early warning systems. The national drug awareness service website, FRANK, has been updated to include information on 5-APB and 6-APB. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) is reviewing 5-APB and 6-APB and considering the available evidence on the harms of these drugs. Any legislative response from the Government would be informed by the ACMD's expert advice.

Drugs: Misuse

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent research her Department has conducted on the potential benefits of drug consumption rooms.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has not undertaken any research on drug consumption rooms. The Department of Health is the lead Department for research in this area.

Entry Clearances

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many transit visas were issued in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: holding answer 6 July 2012
	In 2009, 2010 and 2011 there were, respectively, 32,302, 28,955 and 26,935 transit entry clearance visas issued.
	Data relating to transit entry clearance visas issued are published in table “be.04.” of the quarterly Home Office statistical release “Immigration Statistics”.
	A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics January-December 2011, is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office science, research and statistics web pages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/

Europol

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions the UK has (a) informed and (b) been informed by the Europol Security Coordinator of a data breach under Article 3(2) of EU Council Decision 2009/968/JHA in each year since 2010; and what action resulted from those breaches.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 5 July 2012
	Since 2010 the UK has not:
	(a) informed the Europol Security Coordinator or other party of a data breach under Article 3(2) of EU Council Decision 2009/968/JHA.
	(b) been informed by the Europol Security Coordinator or other party of a data breach under Article 3(2) of EU Council Decision 2009/968/JHA.

Extradition

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies her Department has undertaken of the differing legal systems of states to which the UK can extradite people through the European Arrest Warrant since 2003.

Damian Green: The UK has not conducted any such studies. It has participated in a peer evaluation of member states' implementation of the European Arrest Warrant, and this Government commissioned a comprehensive, independent review of the operation of the UK's extradition arrangements, including the European Arrest Warrant, which included consideration of the standards applicable across member states' criminal justice systems. The Government will respond to the review shortly.

Illegal Immigrants

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to tackle illegal immigration.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency (UKBA) is taking steps to tackle illegal immigration. These include significantly tightening the work, study and family migration routes and bringing in reforms to break the link between temporary and permanent migration. In parallel, the UKBA is taking action against those entering sham marriages, those who use false sponsors as a means of entering and staying in the UK and those who otherwise abuse the asylum route to the detriment of those in need of protection. UKBA crime teams are working with other law enforcement agencies here and abroad to tackle organised immigration crime.
	The UKBA must do more to find and remove those with no right to be in the United Kingdom, it is taking action to strengthen contact management with migrants whose leave has expired and to improve the system of tracing absconders. Greater emphasis is being placed on promoting voluntary removals which has helped to increase the numbers taking up assisted voluntary return.
	Anyone found living or working here illegally remains liable to be detained and removed.

Immigration

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on her immigration policy; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Over the past two years, the Government have consulted on a series of major reforms to the immigration system. We have published four consultation documents covering work and study routes, settlement rules and family migration. Together these generated approximately 52,000 responses. The Department continues to receive significant volumes of correspondence on immigration issues from members of the public, MPs, peers and others.
	The Government's policy is to reduce net migration back to the levels of the 1990s—to the tens of thousands’ not hundreds of thousands—and restore public confidence in the system. The reforms we have made lay the foundations for a more selective immigration system that meets the needs of the UK.

Immigration

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department plans to respond to the 2010 application by a constituent of the right hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton, Amina Begum, for a reconsideration of her case to remain in the UK under human rights considerations; for what reasons she was informed that a decision would be made within approximately 12 weeks; and what the reason is for the time taken.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency apologises for the delay in considering the further submissions made by Ms Begum, to which it had aimed to respond within 12 weeks. I can confirm that a decision has been made to grant Ms Begum and her dependants three years discretionary leave. The UK Border Agency will write to both the right hon. Gentleman and Ms Begum confirming the decision.

Immigration Controls

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the Immigration Rules prevent a non EEA spouse of a British citizen from settling in the UK with their British children whilst the British citizen is working overseas.

Damian Green: When a person is applying for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a non-EEA spouse of a British citizen, they need to give evidence of their intention to live permanently in the UK.
	If the British citizen is not present and settled in the UK at the time of the application, it would be more difficult for them to show this intention.
	The fact that the British citizen in question works overseas is not a barrier in itself to settlement in the UK.

Licensed Premises: Security

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 34W, on licensed premises security, whether the guidance will be published before the House rises for its summer recess; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: As I stated in response to the hon. Lady's previous question, on 25 June 2012, Official Report, columns 33- 34W, the revised guidance will be published shortly. I have nothing further to add to that answer.

Misuse of Drugs Ministerial Group

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  which Ministers sit on the Inter-Ministerial Group on Drugs; and how many times each Minister has attended the Group since May 2010;
	(2)  how many times the Inter-Ministerial Group on Drugs has met since 2010; how many times drug prevention has been discussed by the Group since 2010; how many times the Group has discussed drug education in schools; and whether the Group has discussed the closure of the drugs education forum.

James Brokenshire: Ministerial membership of the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on Drugs is defined by its Terms of Reference:
	Home Office;
	Department for Education;
	Department for Health;
	Ministry of Justice;
	Department for Work and Pensions;
	Department for Communities and Local Government;
	Cabinet Office; and
	HM Treasury
	Ministerial attendance varies according to the agenda of the meeting and their availability. Other Ministers or senior officials and advisers may attend subject to the agenda. The IMG on Drugs has met 15 times since May 2010.
	Prevention and education forms a key part of the drug strategy as part of the reducing demand theme. The IMG regularly discusses progress at its meetings on each of the themes of the strategy. Ministers have not discussed the closure of the Drug Education Forum.

Offences Against Children: British Nationals Abroad

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans her Department has to expand the capability and capacity of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre to investigate cases of abuse of children overseas by British sex offenders.

Lynne Featherstone: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) works with a network of organisations in areas such as south-east Asia to protect children. The International Child Protection Network (ICPN) brings together law enforcement agencies, NGOs and the private sector to increase the capacity and capability available to tackle the threat posed by British nationals to children in those countries. As a result of becoming part of the National Crime Agency (NCA), CEOP will have access to the full range of operational tools at the disposal of the NCA to prevent harm to children in the UK and abroad and disrupt the activities of paedophiles.

Passports: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of people registered at an address in Scotland have a UK passport.

Damian Green: The Identity and Passport Service does not collate data on the basis of the geographical location of passport applications.

Police: Job Satisfaction

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if she will make an assessment of the effect on police morale of (a) changes in police budgets, (b) annual pay freezes for police and (c) police pension reforms;
	(2)  what recent assessment she has made of the effect of changes in police budgets on the morale of police forces in England and Wales.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 21 June 2012
	The Government have no choice but to deal with the deficit. Reductions in Government funding to the police over the spending review period are challenging but manageable. There is no question but that the police will still have the resources to do their important work.
	I understand that police officers are concerned about the potential changes to their pay and conditions and changes to police budgets. I, along with other Ministers and officials, maintain regular contact with police forces and officers to monitor the impact of these reforms. This includes discussing the proposed changes relating to pay and pensions with police officer staff associations at the Police Negotiating Board.

Schengen Agreement

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has (a) made and (b) published 
	(1)  on the potential benefits to the UK of involvement in aspects of the Schengen system;
	(2)  of the value of UK use of the Schengen Information System.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 5 July 2012
	The UK partially participates in the Schengen acquis, with the primary purpose of connecting in due course to the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II). The UK also participates in Schengen activities where drug and arms trafficking are involved. There are no plans for the UK to join those elements of Schengen pertaining to border controls.
	SIS II has been recognised by successive Governments as being important to the UK, as it will provide UK law enforcement agencies with real-time access to the EU's most comprehensive law enforcement database via the UK's Police National Computer. The National Policing Improvement Agency public facing website currently outlines the high-level overview of SIS II:
	http://www.npia.police.uk/en/9619.htm
	Measures directly related to the UK's involvement in the Schengen acquis are on the list of 133 notified to Parliament on 21 December 2011 as part of the decision to be made on whether we accept European Court of Justice jurisdiction for pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures in 2014. These measures will be reviewed accordingly.

Sexual Offences: Victim Support Schemes

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 27 June 2012, Official Report, columns 260-61W, on sexual offences: victim support schemes, for what reasons the commissioning of a sexual assault referral in North Yorkshire has been delayed; and if she will make a statement.

Lynne Featherstone: The commissioning of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in North Yorkshire is a joint collaboration between North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust and North Yorkshire police. The commissioning of this SARC is a local issue, so I am unable to comment as to why a delay has occurred. However, I understand from the police that a joint management board has now been set up to oversee the development of the SARC which is expected to open in early 2013.

Metal Theft

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of metal thefts in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency in the last 12 months.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not held centrally. A new recording classification for metal theft offences reported to the police commenced on 1 April 2012 which will, for the first time, provide accurate information on the number of offences and where they have been committed.

Work Permits: Overseas Students

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for work permits by Romanian and Bulgarian students were completed within three months in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The data requested are not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard reports. However, the UK Border Agency publishes immigration statistics in relation to Romanian and Bulgarian work permit applications on a quarterly and annual basis, a copy of which can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q1-2012/eea-q1-2012-tabs?view=Binary

HEALTH

Abortion

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had on the reasons for geographical variations in the stage of pregnancy at which women are seeking abortions with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) the Minister for Women and Equalities; what steps he is taking to ensure that police use existing powers to protect women from intimidation and harassment at abortion clinics; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will assess the extent to which anti-abortion protests outside clinics are having an effect on the stage of pregnancy at which women are seeking abortions (a) in Brighton and Hove, (b) in Reading, (c) in Stratford and (d) nationally; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: We are aware of reports of protests outside abortion clinics over the past few months. However, we are not aware of any evidence that these protests are contributing to geographical variations in women seeking abortions, or the stage at which they seek an abortion. Variations in early access to abortion services can be influenced by a number of factors. If clinics have concerns about protests, they should contact their local police force for advice and support. In addition, every national health service body has a local security management specialist, which can be called upon for assistance, details of which are available through the local primary care trust.

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when the Care Quality Commission's investigation into abortion clinics is due to be completed;
	(2)  whether the outcome of the Care Quality Commission's investigation into abortion clinics will be published;
	(3)  what progress the Care Quality Commission has made on its investigation of abortion practices that are not compliant with the law.

Anne Milton: The Care Quality Commission publishes a report following every inspection of a provider of a regulated activity that it carries out. These reports are available on the Commission's website. Reports of the recent inspections of providers of termination of pregnancy services are currently being finalised and will be published in due course.

Abortion

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to ensure that all women requesting abortions are seen by two doctors;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to ensure that all abortions performed are compliant with the law; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Abortion Act 1967 requires that two registered medical practitioners must certify that they are of the opinion, formed in good faith, that at least one and the same ground for abortion exists, taking account all the particular circumstances of the individual case. There is no requirement that both doctors must see and examine the woman. The Department has contacted three police forces, the General Medical Council and the Care Quality Commission about reports of gender selective abortion and about the pre-signing of HSA1 forms. Investigations and reviews are currently under way and the results will inform what steps may need to be taken to ensure that termination of pregnancy services are compliant with the law.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to conduct research into high levels of alcohol consumption at home amongst (a) men and (b) women.

Anne Milton: The Office for National Statistics, “Opinions Survey Report No 42 Drinking: adults' behaviour and knowledge in 2009” includes a section on the “circumstances in which people drank last week.”
	The Department has also commissioned research into publishing estimates of alcohol consumption based on a daily drinking diary as part of the 2011 Health Survey for England. The diary will provide information about where respondents say they drank on each day in the week of the survey. The results are expected to be published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre towards the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013.

Atos

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 786W, on Atos, what the total value per year was of each contract between his Department and Atos in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012.

Simon Burns: The IMS3 contract was awarded in January 2012. The total estimated spend with Atos relating to this contract for the financial year (FY) 2012-13 is £15.9 million.
	The Choose and Book contract with Atos incurred the following costs from 2009-12, split by FY, as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2009-10 33.0 
			 2010-11 36.7 
			 2011-12 21.0 
			 2012-13 (to 30 June 2012) 7.3 
			 Notes: 1. FY 2009-10 and 2010-11 are actual costs. 2. FY 2011-12 are actual costs, but they are subject to final audit approval. 3. FY 2012-13 are actual costs up until 30 June 2012 which are also subject to final audit approval.

Cancer

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership study is progressing as quickly as possible.

Paul Burstow: The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) is a unique and innovative international partnership of clinicians, academics and policymakers seeking to understand how and why cancer survival varies between different countries and jurisdictions.
	The ICBP is chaired by England's National Clinical Director for Cancer, Professor Sir Michael Richards. The Department funded the first ICBP research module, Module 1, in order to develop and establish the partnership as quickly as possible. Other modules are co-funded by other members of the ICBP.
	Results on Module 2, ‘Population awareness and beliefs’, as well as further papers on Module 1, are currently being submitted for peer review. Further work on other modules is under way. While this is being progressed as quickly as possible, the need for academic rigour, the complexity of the work and the challenges associated with working across international boundaries means that it takes time to deliver the planned programme.

Continuing Care

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients diagnosed with (a) Parkinson's disease and (b) dementia are eligible for long-term care funding; and how many such patients claim for it;
	(2)  whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of Parkinson's disease and dementia patients who have funded their own care since 2004.

Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally.
	Anyone assessed as having a certain level of care needs may receive national health service continuing health care. Eligibility is decided after an assessment has been made by a multidisciplinary team using the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-Funded Nursing Care. The eligibility criteria for NHS continuing health care are not disease specific. It is the extent of the individual's assessed primary health care needs and the care required to meet those needs, rather than the diagnosis, that determine eligibility.

Diabetes

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to consult on the companion document on diabetes that will be published alongside the long-term conditions outcomes strategy.

Paul Burstow: The first meeting of the Diabetes Advisory Group was held on the 21 June. This is a task and finish group which will oversee the production of the diabetes companion document.
	This group includes expert members in their field, patient representatives and members of relevant voluntary sector organisations, including Diabetes UK.
	This group is consulting with the Department, and across Government Departments, in the development of this document, which is expected to be published alongside the Long Term Conditions Outcome Strategy towards the end of this year.

Diabetes

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy will include outcomes for people with diabetes; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The primary focus of the outcomes strategy will be on conditions causing or resulting from “atheromatous” disease of the arteries, but a range of other conditions will also be included, such as arrhythmias and heart failure. It will consider the inter-relationship between different conditions, including diabetes, and the growing challenge of multiple morbidities. There are estimated to be 3.1 million people with diabetes in the United Kingdom and they are at two to four times greater risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than people without diabetes. Since it accounts for a significant proportion of the CVD burden, the outcomes strategy will therefore cover diabetes as a key risk factor for CVD, rather than its detailed management.

Dialysis Machines

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that ancillary services for renal dialysis patients will be commissioned as part of specialist renal services in order to avoid the risk of fragmentation.

Simon Burns: No final decisions have been taken on which services will be directly commissioned by the NHS Commissioning Board and which will be commissioned by Clinical Commissioning Groups. Work is in hand to determine the list of services that the board will commission and the results of this work are due later in the summer.

Drugs: Misuse

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted on the potential benefits of drug consumption rooms.

Anne Milton: The Department has not commissioned any research into drug consumption rooms.
	As the possession of controlled drugs without a licence is illegal, the provision and use of consumption rooms for illicit drugs would be a criminal offence. The aims of the Government's drug strategy are to promote recovery from dependence and to reduce illicit and other harmful drug use.

Drugs: Pregnancy

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS holds a specific list of drugs know to pass through the placenta; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential advantages of keeping such a list.

Simon Burns: It is now widely accepted that most medicines can pass through the placenta to some degree(1). Medicines should only be prescribed in pregnancy if the expected benefit to the mother is considered greater than the risk to the foetus and all medicines should be avoided if possible during the first trimester.
	The British National Formulary provides prescribers, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with independent and up-to-date information about the use of medicines. Where relevant, information is provided on the use of specific medicines in pregnancy.
	Information is also available from UK Medicines Information
	www.ukmi.nhs.uk
	and through the UK Teratology Information Service
	www.uktis.org
	commissioned by the Health Protection Agency.
	(1) Syme et al. Drug transfer and metabolism by the human placenta. Clinical Pharmacokinetics. 2004; 43(8): 487-514.

Drugs: Prisons

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of prisoners entered each prison with an addiction to drugs in 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: Information is collected by the Department in respect of the total number of prisoners receiving clinical interventions for drug dependence in prisons in England and Wales and within each prison in 2010-11, the most recent year for which data are available. Data are not yet available for 2011-12.
	In 2010-11, a total of 30,459 detoxification drug treatments were provided to male and female prisoners of all ages and a total of 30,650 extended prescribing maintenance treatments were provided. Data in respect of each prison have been placed in the Library.

Drugs: Safety

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department takes when notified of pharmaceutical companies contravening the rules contained in legislation on medical safety;
	(2)  what records he requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to keep of reported adverse reaction to their drugs.

Simon Burns: Pharmaceutical companies have a statutory obligation to report adverse reactions and any information which may influence the evaluation of benefits and risks for medicinal products marketed in the United Kingdom, to the UK regulatory body, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Criminal penalties (fines and incarceration) exist for breaches of these obligations in UK legislation.
	MHRA conducts a programme of statutory pharmacovigilance inspections of UK marketing authorisation holders in order to examine compliance with the safety reporting requirements and in order to ensure that action is taken to address non-compliance.
	MHRA evaluates all notifications of breaches of medicines legislation which are made to the agency and, where appropriate, investigations are conducted. When serious non-compliance with the safety reporting requirements for medicinal products is identified (through regular risk-based inspection or other means), MHRA can employ a range of options to address the findings. These include repeat inspections to assess whether appropriate corrective and preventative actions have been implemented; the issuing of warning letters; action through marketing authorisations and new marketing authorisation applications when considered appropriate (e.g. suspension of authorisations); referral for criminal prosecution in the UK (if offences have been committed); and referral to the European Medicines Agency for action to be taken under the European Union infringement regulation for medicinal products authorised via the central EU process, which may result in a marketing authorisation holder being fined.
	UK Statutory Instrument 3144:1994 (as amended) states:
	“The holder of a marketing authorization shall maintain a record of reports of which he is aware of suspected adverse reactions in accordance with the relevant Community provisions which shall be open to inspection by a person authorised by the licensing authority, who may take copies of the record and, if the licensing authority so directs, the authorization holder shall furnish the licensing authority with a copy of any such reports of which he has a record or of which he is or subsequently becomes aware.”
	Current Community legislation (EU Directive 2001/83/EC) requires marketing, authorisation holders to maintain detailed records of all suspected adverse reactions of which the company becomes aware and to report suspected serious adverse reactions to relevant competent authorities (to MHRA in the UK).

Drugs: Young Offenders

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of young offenders were addicted to drugs on arrival at each young offender institute in England and Wales in 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: This information is not available as requested and data are available only in respect of young male offenders. In 2010-11, the most recent year for which data are available, 347 young male offenders were provided with clinical intervention for drug dependence in young offender institutes. Data are not currently available for 2011-12.
	Data are not held centrally on young female offenders with drug addiction. Female young offenders are detained in women's prisons and data about prisoner drug addiction do not identify whether or not an inmate is a young offender.

Health and Wellbeing Boards

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers he has to intervene in the event that a health and wellbeing board consistently underperforms.

Paul Burstow: Health and wellbeing boards will be established as local committees of local authorities and ‘as such’ it is not for central Government to monitor their performance. The boards will work with local communities to agree local priorities for action to improve both health and care services and the health and wellbeing of local people through joint health and wellbeing strategies (JHWSs). JHWSs should include clear outcome measures which health and wellbeing boards can use to demonstrate whether they have been successful in tackling these priorities and against which local people can hold health and wellbeing boards to account. The involvement of local councillors and local Healthwatch on health and wellbeing boards will support this transparency and accountability to local people.
	Health and wellbeing boards will also be subject to overview and scrutiny committees of the local authority which will be able to review and scrutinise the decisions and actions of health and wellbeing boards and make reports and recommendations to the authority or its executive. As such, the Secretary of State for Health will not have any national intervention powers in relation to health and wellbeing boards.

Health Services: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts in Greater London employed consultants in each of the last five years; and how much was spent by each trust.

Simon Burns: Information regarding expenditure on consultancy services by national health service trusts within the London strategic health authority (SHA) area for the years 2007-08 to 2010-11 is contained in the tables. Expenditure on consultancy services by NHS bodies was first collected in the audited summarisation schedules in 2007-08, so data for 2006-07 are not separately identifiable.
	Owing to changes in the organisational structure of the NHS over the period requested, a separate table has been provided for each year.
	The Department does not collect data from NHS foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.
	
		
			 Expenditure on consultancy services by NHS Trusts within London SHA for the years 2007-08 to 2010-11 
			 Table 1: 2007-08 spend on consultancy services by NHS Trusts in London SHA economy area 
			 Organisation Operating expenses: consultancy services (£000) 
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 1,896 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,545 
			 Barnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 283 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 1,656 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 362 
			 Camden And Islington NHS Foundation Trust 1,716 
			 Central And North West London MH NHS Foundation Trust 42 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 251 
			 East London NHS Foundation Trust 0 
			 Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 1,670 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust 1,664 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 4,709 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 1,198 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 1,519 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 715 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 669 
			 North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 1,144 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 1,161 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 509 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 673 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 345 
			 Royal Brampton And Harefield NHS Trust 438 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 2,088 
			 South West London And St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 2,392 
			 St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust 2,053 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 912 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 1,740 
			 The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 565 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 403 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 288 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 1,521 
		
	
	
		
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 1,461 
			 Source: 2007-08 NHS Trusts Audited Summarisation Schedules 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: 2008-09 spend on consultancy services by NHS Trusts in London SHA economy area 
			 Organisation Operating expenses: consultancy services (£000) 
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 2,820 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 996 
			 Barnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 490 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 8,484 
			 Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust 1,185 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 633 
			 Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 2,817 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust 1,745 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 1,678 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 1,481 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 1,155 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 711 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 2,186 
			 North East London NHS Foundation Trust 174 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 537 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 686 
			 Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust 1,012 
			 Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust 740 
			 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Trust 990 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 5,461 
			 South West London And St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 2,102 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 3,655 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 1,121 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 2,232 
			 The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 551 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 263 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 234 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 2,148 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 917 
			 Source: 2008-09 NHS Trusts Audited Summarisation Schedules 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: 2009-10 spend on consultancy services by NHS Trusts In London SHA economy area 
			 Organisation Operating expenses: consultancy services (£000) 
			 Barking, Havering And Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust 2,468 
			 Barnet And Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,474 
			 Barnet, Enfield And Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 1,007 
			 Barts And The London NHS Trust 11,335 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 186 
			 Epsom And St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 1,960 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust 1,587 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 4,517 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 1,505 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 1,022 
			 Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust 734 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 1,486 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 673 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 688 
			 Royal Brompton And Harefield NHS Foundation Trust 9 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 5,029 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 2,923 
			 South West London And St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 1,905 
			 St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 3,429 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 841 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 1,706 
			 The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 696 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 1,381 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 258 
		
	
	
		
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 1,989 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 1,371 
			 Source: 2009-10 NHS Trusts Audited Summarisation Schedules 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4: 2010-11 spend on consultancy services by NHS Trusts in London SHA economy area 
			 Organisation Operating expenses: consultancy services (£000) 
			 Barking Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 1,546 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 1,095 
			 Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 1,007 
			 Baits and the London NHS Trust 5,451 
			 Ealing Hospital NHS Trust 230 
			 Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 915 
			 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 1,101 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 6,135 
			 Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 800 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 2,171 
			 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 734 
			 Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 2,769 
			 North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 658 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 549 
			 Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 3,653 
			 South London Healthcare NHS Trust 2,015 
			 South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust 2,006 
			 St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust 2,177 
			 The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 179 
			 The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 2,404 
			 The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust 1,429 
			 West London Mental Health NHS Trust 365 
			 West Middlesex University NHS Trust 428 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 1,835 
			 Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 1,017 
			 Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust 2,202 
			 Source: 2010-11 NHS Trusts Audited Summarisation Schedules

Health Services: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts sold land in Greater London in each of the last five years; and what the value was of each sale.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected. National health service organisations locally decide on how their estate is used, including the disposal of land.

Kidneys: Diseases

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will create a national specialised service for the treatment of atypical haemolytic-uraemic syndrome.

Simon Burns: The Advisory Group for National Specialised Services met recently to consider whether there should be a nationally commissioned service for the treatment of atypical haemolytic-uraemic syndrome. Ministers have yet to receive its recommendation.

Mental Illness: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2012, Official Report, column 802W, on mental illness: children, how many and what proportion of children aged five to 16 suffered from a clinically recognisable mental disorder in each of the last 30 years.

Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. However, two surveys were carried out by the Office for National Statistics.
	In 1999, the Office for National Statistics carried out a survey on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Health Executive and the National Assembly for Wales. The results, published in ‘Mental health of children and adolescents in Great Britain’ (ONS 2000), stated that 9.5% of five to 15-year-olds had a clinically recognisable mental disorder. The report included a review of previous research. This noted that epidemiological surveys in Great Britain that have focused on psychiatric morbidity among children have concentrated on specific disorders, particular age ranges, and comprehensive studies in particular localities.
	In 2004, the Office for National Statistics carried out a survey on behalf of the Department and the Scottish Executive. The results, published in ‘Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004’ (ONS 2005), stated that 9.6% of five to 16-year-olds had a clinically recognisable mental disorder.

NHS: Public Opinion

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the consideration which should be given to (a) public views of any proposed reconfiguration in the NHS and (b) any differences of opinion amongst clinicians before final decisions on reconfiguration are made.

Simon Burns: The Government's policy is that reconfigurations of health services must be able to demonstrate evidence against the Secretary of State for Health's four tests. The tests set out that reconfiguration proposals should have: support from clinical commissioners; strengthened public and patient engagement; clarity on the clinical evidence base; and support for patient choice. Effective local engagement should ensure that services continually improve, based on the feedback of local communities.
	It is important that proposals are locally-led, developed by clinicians and based on a thorough assessment of clinical need and the evidence for change. It is for clinical commissioners, working in partnership with clinicians in the provider sector, to agree on the case for change. The National Clinical Advisory Team supports this process by providing an independent external clinical review to assure the case for any reconfiguration.

Nutrition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 807-8W, on nutrition, what proportion of the population consume more than the average recommended level of trans fats; and what effect this has on (a) mental and (b) physical health.

Anne Milton: The Department recommends that trans fatty acids should contribute no more than 2% of food energy intake. The most recent data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that two participants out of over 2,000 (0.1%) had an intake of trans fatty acids above the recommendation.
	The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which advises the Department, reviewed the evidence of the health effects of trans fatty acids in 2007. SACN concluded that there is evidence that trans fatty acids may increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and recommended that average dietary intakes of trans fatty acids should not exceed 2% of food energy. SACN concluded that the evidence relating intakes of trans fatty acids to risk of diseases other than CHD, including neurological development in children and cognitive decline, is limited and therefore insufficient for any conclusions to be drawn.

Nutrition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2012, Official Report, column 543W, on food: safety, what assessment he has made of the effects of eating five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day on rates of (a) cancer and (b) heart disease.

Anne Milton: The Government's “5 a Day” recommendation is based on epidemiological evidence indicating an association with consumption of more than 400 grams a day of fruit and vegetables (not including potatoes) with reduced risk of certain diet- related chronic diseases. People who consume high levels of fruit and vegetables compared with low consumers tend to have a lower risk of coronary heart disease, a lower risk of some cancers, better bowel health and better micronutrient status.
	It is difficult to attribute the direct effect of the consumption on fruit and vegetables on rates of cancer and heart disease. However, the national health service plan (2000) estimates that eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%.

Pharmacy

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  for what reason patients who collect prescriptions from a pharmacy can use the New Medicines Service but patients who collect prescriptions from the dispensary of a dispensing practice cannot;
	(2)  what plans his Department has to extend the New Medicines Service to dispensing practices.

Simon Burns: The New Medicine Service (NMS) was negotiated as part of the community pharmacy contractual framework. It is designed to provide support to patients to maximise the benefits from their medicines and is based on research showing that early intervention by a pharmacist can help to improve patients' adherence to their medicines and reduce the use of national health service resources.
	Dispensing doctors, who are authorised or required to provide dispensing services to specific patients, may already participate in the Dispensing Services Quality Scheme (DSQS), as set out in the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlement. The DSQS applies only to doctors who dispense, not pharmacies, and sets out the minimum requirements for review of use of medicines with patients, which are intended to optimise the impact of treatment for each individual patient.
	There are currently no plans to extend the NMS to dispensing doctors.

Public Health England

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accountability processes he has put in place to ensure that (a) Public Health England delivers the outcomes required of it and (b) the performance of health and well-being boards is measured.

Anne Milton: Public Health England (PHE) will be an executive agency of the Department of Health for operational independence but will nevertheless be subject to the usual requirements of public and parliamentary accountability of a Department of state. A framework agreement between PHE and the Department will set out roles and responsibilities. There will be a separate line of accountability from the chief executive of PHE to the Secretary of State for Health as well as a direct reporting to the Permanent Secretary. In addition, an advisory board with a non-executive majority will provide independent advice and challenge to support the running and development of PHE. PHE will have to deliver against objectives set out in its business plan, to be measured against the Public Health Outcomes Framework, and report annually.
	Health and well-being boards will be established as local committees of local authorities and, as such, it is not for central Government to monitor their performance. The boards will work with local communities to agree local priorities for action to improve both health and care services and the health and well-being of local people through joint health and well-being strategies (JHWSs). JHWSs should include clear outcome measures by which health and well-being boards can use to demonstrate whether they have been successful in tackling these priorities, against which local people can hold health and well-being boards to account. The involvement of local councillors and local Healthwatch on health and well-being boards will support this transparency and accountability to local people. Health and well-being boards will also be subject to overview and scrutiny committees of the local authority who will be able to review and scrutinise the decisions and actions of health and well-being boards and make reports and recommendations to the authority or its executive.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many settings claiming for the cost of milk through the nursery milk scheme claimed more than (a) 60 pence per pint, (b) 70 pence per pint, (c) 80 pence per pint and (d) 90 pence per pint in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The following table provides figures for the number of child care settings claiming for the free nursery milk at a cost ranging from 60p to 90p per pint in the month of June 2012:
	
		
			 Cost claimed by the child care settings in providing free nursery milk in the month of June 2012 Number of child care settings 
			 More than 60p per pint 2,980 
			 More than 70p per pint 23,098 
			 More than 80p per pint 1,140 
			 More than 90p per pint 8,962 
		
	
	The Department is currently consulting on a range of options for reforming the operation of the nursery milk scheme, looking at making it more efficient as well as improving its value for money, while ensuring that all children under five attending a child care setting for more than two hours a day continue to be entitled to receive free milk.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children under the age of five who receive milk through the nursery milk scheme have this milk supplied by intermediaries.

Anne Milton: Some child care providers use intermediaries or agents to arrange the supply of milk in the nursery milk scheme. At present 32,821 child care settings use such agents. The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of individual children who receive free nursery milk. However, in 2011-12 there were 121,139,059 portions of milk (each a third of a pint) supplied through agents, which represents 44.7% of the total milk reimbursed under the scheme.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to his consultation on the next steps for nursery milk, whether the estimate of 40 per cent uptake of the scheme is based on the whole population under the age of five or only those in settings for more than two hours a day.

Anne Milton: The estimate of 40% uptake of the nursery milk scheme is based on the whole population of children under five years of age. It is not based on the number of children attending settings for more than two hours a day.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have received milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Lady to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Gordon Henderson) on 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 666W.

School Milk

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children under the age of five have received free milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The Department is unable to provide information on the number of individual children, and hence the proportion of children under five, who have received free milk through the nursery milk scheme in each of the last five years as this information is not held centrally. Based on the total number of portions (1/3 pint) supplied each year, if we assume that children attend for at least two hours, five days per week for 36 weeks per year, 271,246,523 portions (reimbursed in 2011-12) translates to around 1.5 million children, which represents roughly 40% of the total number of under-fives. Of course, more individual children may attend for fewer days per week, meaning that the proportion of under-fives receiving free milk under the scheme may be higher.

Surgery

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of surgical clinics cancelled in each year from 2002.

Simon Burns: The Department does not collect information on the number of cancelled surgical clinics.

Thalidomide

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the NHS spent on thalidomide derivative products in the treatment of cancer between 2009 and 2011;
	(2)  which companies supply thalidomide derivative products to the NHS.

Paul Burstow: The only thalidomide derivative licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of cancer is lenalidomide, which is used in the national health service in England for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Information on its use in primary and secondary care is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			 Primary care: lenalidomide prescription items dispensed in the community in England(1) 
			  Number of prescription items Net ingredient cost (£000) 
			 2009 0 0 
			 2010 2 9.1 
			 2011 9 33.8 
			 (1) Although lenalidomide is only licensed for the treatment of multiple myeloma, it is not possible to determine if the reported usage was for that purpose as the intended use is not recorded. Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system. 
		
	
	
		
			 Secondary care: packs of lenalidomide used in hospitals(1) 
			  Number of packs(2) Cost (£000) 
			 2009 5,655 23.2 
			 2010 12,185 49.7 
			 2011 16,529 67.3 
			 (1) Although lenalidomide is licensed only for the treatment of multiple myeloma, it is not possible to determine if the reported usage was for that purpose as the intended use is not recorded. (2) Lenalidomide is available in packs of 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg and 25 mg, each containing 21 tablets. The figure for the number of packs is therefore not a direct measure of the physical quantity used, the number of times the medicine was used or the number of patients treated. Source: IMS Health: Hospital Pharmacy Audit. 
		
	
	The British National Formulary indicates that the only manufacturer of lenalidomide is Celgene Ltd. Manufacturers can supply NHS organisations directly or through wholesalers.

Thalidomide Trust

Robert Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made on his talks with the National Advisory Council to the Thalidomide Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: I met with the National Advisory Council (NAC) to the Thalidomide Trust on 12 June 2012. Departmental officials met with members of the Thalidomide Trust and the NAC to the trust in June 2010 to discuss the evaluation of the first year of the three-year pilot funded by the Department, and I anticipate that the trust will shortly submit the evaluation of the pilot's second year. Officials will meet with the Thalidomide Trust and the NAC to discuss the evaluation report before the end of this month.

Transplant Surgery: Bone Marrow Disorders

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients received a bone marrow transplant of donated stem cells from adult donors and supplied by NHS Blood and Transplant in each of the last three financial years; and what the average cost to hospitals was of the supply of these cell units in each year.

Anne Milton: The following table shows the number of adult donor bone marrow stem cell units issued by NHS Blood and Transplant for the past three financial years and the associated costs to hospitals.
	
		
			 Financial year Number of patients supplied with adult stem cell donors Total cost to hospitals (£) 
			 2009-10 75 953,400 
			 2010-11 69 936,882 
			 2011-12 88 1,230,680

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Register

David Evennett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent representations he has received on the sale of the edited electoral register; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Government have received numerous representations on the future of the edited electoral register. Cabinet Office records show 13 representations having been received on the edited version of the register since 1 June. The Cabinet Office has not received any recent representations specifically on the sale of the edited electoral register.

Parliamentary Private Secretaries: Visits Abroad

Chris Bryant: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on which occasions his parliamentary private secretary has travelled overseas with him or on his behalf since May 2010.

Nicholas Clegg: My hon. Friend the Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) served as my parliamentary private secretary from May 2010 to February 2012. My hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) has held the post since February 2012. I have not been accompanied on any overseas visits by my parliamentary private secretaries, and nor have they made any overseas visits on my behalf.

Voting Rights: Prisoners

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister to which categories of prisoner he wishes to give the right to vote.

Mark Harper: The Government will consider carefully the recent judgment on prisoner voting in the case of Scoppola v. Italy (No. 3) and its implications for the UK and will respond in due course.

CABINET OFFICE

Advisory Services

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 92W, on advisory services, if he will publish correspondence between his Department and the Scottish Government on additional funding for not-for-profit advice services.

Nick Hurd: The Cabinet Office has not corresponded with the Scottish Government on this matter.

Cancer: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the number of cancer patients was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the number of cancer patients was in (a) Witham Town and (b) Witham constituency in each of the last five years. [115901 ]
	The latest available figures for cancer registrations are for the year 2010. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of people diagnosed with cancer, because one person may be diagnosed with more than one cancer.
	Cancer statistics are not available for individual towns, so figures have been provided for Braintree local authority district (LAD) instead, which includes the towns of Braintree, Halstead and Witham.
	The table provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer registered for (a) Braintree local authority district and (b) Witham parliamentary constituency, for each year from 2006 to 2010.
	The latest published figures on incidence of cancer in England are available on the National Statistics website:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-registrations-in-england/2010/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of newly diagnosed cases of cancer, Braintree local authority district and Witham parliamentary constituency, 2006-10(1,2,3) 
			 Registrations 
			 Area 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 
			 Braintree local authority district 654 670 680 759 797 
			 Witham parliamentary constituency 455 428 443 497 490 
			 (1) Cancer is coded using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) as C00 to C97 excluding C44 non-melanoma skin cancer. (2) Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. (3) Figures are based on boundaries as of May 2012. Source: Office for National Statistics

Empty Property

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  if he will list the empty or largely empty buildings owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many buildings owned by his Department and the bodies for which he is responsible have been empty for more than two years; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: There are nine ancillary buildings at the Emergency Planning College's site at Easingwold, Yorkshire which have been empty since long before the last general election. The EPC's private sector partner is currently seeking alternative use for these buildings.
	Admiralty Arch is largely empty. It is not fit for a modern day office and could not be adapted without disproportionate costs to the taxpayer. As part of our continuing drive to deliver even greater savings, we are currently holding an open process to sell the long leasehold interest in Admiralty Arch. We have invited bids which will provide value for money for the taxpayer and potential options for increasing public access and will preserve the heritage of the building.
	My Department is consolidating its central property usage to realise savings for the taxpayer and drive up efficiency. To that end we are moving staff into 70 Whitehall and the Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road. Because we are transferring 22/26 Whitehall to the Department for International Development later this year we have already moved most of our staff out of there.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the number of people aged (a) 18 to 24 and (b) over 50 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency;
	(2)  how many 16 to 24-year-olds in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency and (b) Lancashire claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of people aged (a) 18-24 and (b) over 50 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency (116075); and how many 16 to 24 year olds in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency, and (b) Lancashire claimed jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years. (116076)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles the number of claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
	Table 1 shows the number of people aged 18 to 24 and 50 and over, resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in May 2012, which is the most recent period available.
	Table 2 shows the number of people aged 16 to 24, resident in (a) Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency and (b) Lancashire, who were claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in May 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, which is the latest date available.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of persons(1 )aged 18 to 24 and 50 and over resident in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency claiming jobseeker's allowance, May 2012 
			 Number 
			  18 to 24 years 50 and over 
			 Blackpool North and Cleveleys 665 465 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of persons(1) aged 16 to 24 resident in Blackpool North & Cleveleys constituency, and Lancashire claiming jobseeker's allowance 
			 Number 
			 May Blackpool North and Cleveleys Lancashire 
			 2008 380 4,510 
			 2009 640 8,435 
			 2010 515 6,560 
			 2011 575 6,620 
			 2012 665 7,255 
			 (1) Age data are available only for computerised claims, which account for 99.7% of all claims. Note: Data rounded to nearest 5. Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system.

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average number of working days lost per person was in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last three years.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office sickness absence currently stands at an average of 2.5 working days and remains one of the lowest rates across Government Departments. The Cabinet Office sick absence data for the last three years are published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/absence-data
	From June 2011 the Cabinet Office data also included the Central Office of Information (COI), which closed on 31 March 2012. The sick absence statistics for the COI are published in its annual reports, which are available at:
	http://coi.gov.uk/aboutcoi.php?page=82
	The sick absence statistics for Buying Solutions are published in its annual reports, which are available at:
	http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-government-procurement-service/annual-report-and-accounts

Ministers: Pay

Peter Bone: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will review the level of salaries paid to Ministers.

Francis Maude: In 2010 the Government set Ministers' total salary remuneration at 5% less than the remuneration equivalent Ministers in the former Administration received. These salary levels are fixed for the lifetime of this Parliament and there are no plans at present to review them.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many vacancies there are on the boards of non-departmental public bodies;
	(2)  what changes his Department has made to the process for the appointment of individuals to non-departmental public bodies since May 2010;
	(3)  what representations his Department has received from the chairs and officers of non-departmental public bodies on the time taken for appointments and reappointments to those bodies.

Francis Maude: The current list of vacancies for the Government's public appointments can be found on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
	The Commission for Public Appointments regulates the majority of non-Executive appointments by Ministers to non-departmental public bodies. An updated version of the Commissioner's code of practice came into effect on 1 April 2012. The Government will shortly be publishing updated guidance on managing and making public appointments to take account of this updated code of practice.

Non-departmental Public Bodies

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many recommendations of people for appointment to non-departmental public bodies by the Appointments Commission have been rejected by Ministers since May 2010.

Francis Maude: None.

Public Sector: Procurement

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to encourage a transition to e-procurement in the public sector.

Francis Maude: The Government fully support measures that simplify and streamline the procurement process, including the use of electronic procurement and invoicing.
	Under the principles of LEAN Sourcing, all central Government procurements are required to use the Official Journal for the European Union (OJEU) compliant e-sourcing tools to help manage the full process. If an organisation does not have access to its own e-sourcing tools, it can use those available through the Government Procurement Service.
	Additionally, issuing and responding to bids via the Government's Dynamic Marketplace is done electronically, making the procurement process quicker and more cost-effective.